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Ret. Mr. 



NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 



fC 


PHILADELPHIA; 

JOHN E. POTTER AND COMPANY, 

617 Sansom Street. 



( 


/Pf / ) 













t*.' 


COPYRIGHT 

By JOHN E. POTTER AND COMPANY 
1880 


Press of John E. Potter & Co. 


PREFACE. 


The only apology which will be offered for setting 
this little volume adrift on the sea of literature to 
take its chances among the innumerable throng of 
more pretentious crafts, is the belief of the author 
that such a character as the Rev. Mr. Dash well does 
exist, and does infest the modern pulpit. 

If the likeness which has been drawn is a correct 
one, the sooner it is placed in the Rogues’ Gallery for 
public inspection the better. If it is not true to the 
life, it will simply hang upon the walls as the “Por- 
trait of an Unknown Gentleman,” and will be passed 
by unnoticed and forgotten. 


E. P. B. 



CONTENTS 


CHAPTER I. 

PAGE 

Rev. Mr. Dashwell and his friend Joe at the Seminary. . 7 


CHAPTER II. 

Hampton 19 

CHAPTER HI. 

Dr. Woodbridge and Mabel 30 

CHAPTER IV. 

The Session Meeting 41 

CHAPTER V. 

Mr. Dashwell Arrives and takes Possession 53 

CHAPTER VI. 

Tom and Mabel 65 

CHAPTER VII. 

Mr. Dashwell and Joe^ 76 

CHAPTER VHI. 

Joe and Mr. Dashwell . . 91 

CHAPTER IX. 


The Church brought in Contact with the World. . . .104 


6 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER X. 

PAGE 

Medico-Theological 

CHAPTER XI. 

The New and Old Minister in Council 128 

CHAPTER XII. 

Mr. Dashwell and Mabel take a Drive 142 

CHAPTER XIH. 

Elder Domore brings Unpleasant News 161 

CHAPTER XIV. 

Mr. Dashwell and Maria Pinch take a Drive 172 

CHAPTER XV. 

Jim and Joe 1S2 

CHAPTER IVI. 

Joe and Jim ‘ 19 ^ 

CHAPTER XVII. 

Mabel and Tom 209 


EEY. MR. DASnWELU 

THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 

CHAPTER 1. 

Ur. §iisl]totU anlj fmiili |0e at t|e Sminarg. 

The official year at the theological seminary had just 
closed. Most of the students had already gone to spend 
their summer vacation. A few were yet remaining in 
their rooms. Among the latter was one of the graduating 
class. He was sitting in an easy arm-chair, which was 
tilted backward, so that only two legs were in contact 
with the floor. The equilibrium was maintained by two 
other legs, those of the graduate himself, the Rev, James 
Dashwell. Their pedal extremities, encased in handsome 
slippers embroidered by some lady friend of the wearer, 
were resting upon the window-sill, and were overlooking 
the branching elms of the college green. A bright- 
colored wrapper, which hung from the shoulders of the 
young minister, a gift of some other lady friend, fell on 
either side of the chai^ in folds to the floor. His right 
hand was devoted to his lighted cigar, while his left was 
holding a manuscript, between which and his cigar his 
attention seemed about equally divided. The posture of 

7 


8 A*£V. MR, DASIIWELL, 

the Eev. Mr. Dashwell was such that an obtuse angle 
was formed by the upper and lower portions of his frame. 
If the two sides enclosing thi^ angle had been carefully 
added together, the sum total would have shown that he 
was rather a tall man. He wore a light-colored, well- 
trained mustache, which terminated with a graceful curl 
at either corner of a good-looking mouth. His hair was 
of a carefully selected shade, between auburn and gold, 
and rolled in undulations and chopping waves over the 
cranial surface of a well-shaped head. His eyes were 
hazel, and shrewd, and bright. His nose would have 
been Roman if the curvature had been reversed. His 
temperament was sanguine. Had a committee of young 
ladies been called upon to decide as to his personal 
appearance, all would probably have called him good 
looking, some w^ould have considered him handsome, while 
a few would have pronounced him “just lovely.” To the 
verdict of all, he himself w^ould have cordially assented. 
He finished perusing the document in his hand, dropped 
it at his side, and after a few moments’ silent meditation, 
said to his room-mate, whose heels were inspecting the 
park from the neighboring window : 

“Joe, I have received a call.” 

“The dickens you have!” said fhe Rev. Joe, using the 
strongest expletive the seminary regulations would counte- 
nance, and bringing his patent leathers to the floor as if 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON, 


an electric pole bad been applied to them unexpectedly ; 
‘‘ you don’t say so!’' 

“ That is so, and no mistake,” said the Eev. Mr. Dash- 
well, throwing his head back, and emitting from beneath 
his mustache a cloud of smoke, which rose in graceful 
wreaths to the ceiling. 

Whether from surprise, or doubt, or jealousy, may 
always remain undecided ; but it is certain that the Rev. 
Joe made no reply to this answ.er of his chum, but silently 
looked at him, awaiting some further explanation. 

‘‘Well, Joe,” said the Rev. Mr. Dash well, “the way 
of it is this. I have an intimate friend by the name of 
Domore, who does business in New York city but resides 
in a growing village on Long Island named Hampton. 
He is a driving sort of a man in religious matters, and 
they have made him an elder in the First Presbyterian 
Church there, one of the regular, trne-blue, old-fashioned, 
old-school churches; but a large one. The minister there 
has been preaching in that same church something less 
than a hundred years, and is one of the genuine old 
fogies, you know, as stiff as Calvin himself; believes in 
foreordination, election, the literal eating the forbidden 
fruit, Jonah swallowing the whale, and all that; really 
believes it all,” said the young divine, bringing his fist 
down upon the arm of his chair with emphasis. “His 
name is Woodbridge. Well, Domore informed me that 


10 


REV, MR, DASH WELL, 


the old doctor was getting pretty nearly played out, and 
that if the thing should be managed properly, the people 
might be induced to make a change, and give some of us 
younger fellows a chance. Well, I made it a point to 
happen there last vacation on a visit, and Domore int^*o- 
duced me to the doctor, and he invited me to preach as 
a licentiate. I took a new text, and gave them that old 
regulation sermon of mine, you know, and Domore after- 
ward informed me that it took well, first-rate, and that 
upon the whole I made a pretty good impression.” 

''Of course; no doubt of it,” said the Eev. Mr. Joe. 

"Well, chum,” said the Rev. Mr. Dashwell, nodding 
slightly in reply to the compliment, " the upshot of the 
whole matter is that Domore has been working like a 
beaver for me. He has had a fair chance, you know ; 
for he is an elder and a pretty good talker in meetings, 
and so on ; and he has managed so that I have been 
invited for a year as a sort of stated supply. I shall 
have to take my chances for a permanent call afterward, 
I suppose, if I should want to stay. They do it, I believe, 
under the pretext of giving the old man a chance to 
recuperate. At any rate, Domore says it is the best he 
can do for me at present, for the old doctor is pretty 
popular with the congregation.” 

" Of course, you will go, and accept the permanent call 
at the end of the year?” said Joe. 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 11 

“Well, now, I don’t know about all that,” said the 
Eev. Dashwell, knocking the ashes off the end of his 
cigar with his little finger, and assuming the delibera- 
tive expression of one perplexed with the variety of calls 
before him. “ There are some things for, and some things 
against it. It is a pretty large congregation ; but not a 
city church, like Beecher’s or Talmage’s.” 

“No?” said the Rev. Joe, interrogatively. 

But you know we must not be too particular, and 
could hardly expect the best position at first. We should 
begin near the bottom of the ladder and rise,” said young 
Mr. Dashwell, philosophically. 

“ How much salary do you get, any way ?” said Joe. 

AVell, now there s another important point which is 
somewhat undecided,” said Mr. Dashwell. “I suppose I 
can get along comfortably from the first, and keep a 
horse; I declare I won’t go unless I can do that. But 
the matter of salary is to be settled, I believe, at tbe end 
of my period as stated supply, and the amount will depend 
of course upon the numbers I can draw into the church. 
In the meantime, Domore tells me, I am to reside in the 
parsonage with the old dominie.” 

“Won’t you enjoy that, now!” said the Eev. Joe, 
slapping his thigh and throwing his head back with a 
hearty laugh. 

Perhaps even that won’t be so bad as you imagine. 


12 


J^£F. MR. DASHWELL, 


after all. The old doctor has a handsome daughter, a 
splendid young girl, an only child. She acts as house- 
keeper,’’ said Mr. Dashwell, desirous of showing his chum 
that even the thorns in his new field of duty might have 
their roses. 

“ Whew! ew! ew!” said Joe, with a prolonged wdiistle. 
“Now, Jim, you mean to accept that call, I am sure. 
By tke way,” as a sudden thought seemed to strike him, 
“has the old man any” — and the Bev. Joe slapped that 
portion of his clothing which might be supposed to con- 
ceal a well-filled pocketbook. 

“ I am afraid not,” said Jim, at this time wdth a down- 
cast look which seemed to indicate that at last his friend 
had pointed out a real misfortune. “I had thought of 
that; but it could hardly be expected, you know, that 
a country minister would have much laid up from his 
salary.” 

“Of course not,” said Joe. “Well, then, Jim, look 
out for yourself; and don’t go and throw yourself away 
at first sight. Its dangerous, I declare!” and Joe medi- 
tated a while upon the risk his chum was assuming of 
losing his heart upon a beautiful but penniless girl. 
“Now, Jim, in that large congregation there must be 
some w^ealthy men with eligible”— and he turned inquir- 
ingly to the Rev. Jim wdthout finishing the sentence. 

“Oh, of course, there must be,” said that individual. 


7 HE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 


13 


‘‘Don’t worry about me; I think I shall manage to take 
care of myself/’ and Jim arose and stood before the look- 
ing-glass, stroked his silky mustache, and pushed his 
fingers through his luxuriant hair. He seemed ‘satisfied 
with the revelations made to him by the mirror, and 
turning again to his room-mate, said : 

“Joe, you think I had better take that chance?” 

“To be sure, I do. You had better jump at it at once. 
There’ll be time enough when you find you don’t like it, 
or can get a better, to refuse.” 

“ I have decided to try it, at all events,” said the Eev. 
Mr. Dash well. “How long should I take for delibera- 
tion before sending an answer ?” 

“I suppose it wouldn’t seem just the thing to reply 
under a fortnight,” said Joe; “but its all time thrown 
away.” 

The Kev. Mr. Dash well took a few vigorous whiffs 
from the remnant of his cigar, and threw the stump 
out of the window. He then turned to his desk, took a 
sheet of note-paper, and commenced writing. His pen 
would glide over the page for a few moments, and then 
would pause, while the fingers of the left hand would 
nervously twist his long mustache. It was evident that 
the thoughts of the young minister did not flow freely. 
More than one sheet did he destroy and throw away in 

the Avaste-basket before his composition seemed to be 
2 ' 


14 


J^£F, MR. DASHWELL, 


satisfactory. At last, after correcting, erasing and inter- 
lining, he took up the paper, and turning to his room- 
mate, said: ‘‘Joe, listen to this, and see what you think 
of it.” He proceeded to reaJ as follows : 

“To THE Session of the First Presbyterian Church 

OF Hampton. 

“Dear Brethren in the Lord: When your unexpected 
call arrived, inviting me to officiate as stated supply in 
your pulpit for the space of one year, a sense of the great 
responsibility to be imposed upon me so burdened my 
mind that I was at first prompted to decline your invi- 
tation. After two weeks of prayerful deliberation and 
careful consideration of the subject, I have, however, been 
led to believe that the indications of Divine Providence 
are that I should consider your call as the call of the 
great Head of the Church. With thanks, therefore, for 
your kind partiality, although with many misgivings and 
a profound sense of my own unworthiness, I most cordially 
accept the call you have tendered me. 

“ Sincerely, your brother, 

“ James Dashwell.” 

“ There, Joe, what do you think of that for high ?” 

“Capital! capital! Jim; couldn’t have done it better 
myself.” 

“So you think I ought to keep it a fortnight before 
sending it. Wouldn’t a week do as well?” 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 15 

“ Two would be better, Jim,” said Joe, with a wise 
shake of the head. ‘‘ Don’t be too impatient, my boy.” 

The Eev. James Dash well now turned once more to his 
desk, and taking his pen, dashed off rapidly a few lines. 
They were addressed to Elder Domore, and were as 
follows : 

Ify Dear Old Fellow: Your note with the call has 
just reached me. Thanks for the way in which you have 
managed the affair. You did right in getting your men 
pledged before the session meeting. That Wentworth is 
a tough old nut to crack, isn’t he ? Keep things lovely 
with Pinch. I can help you when I get there. Of 
course, I shall come. But I shall not send official accep- 
tance for a couple of weeks yet. It wouldn’t seem just 
the thing to send it earlier. In the meantime, keep shady. 
If you let them think I may not accept, perhaps it would 
be as well. But if there should be any danger of the 
thing miscarrying through my delay, give me word, and 
I will send on the document at once. 

“ Yours, etc., James Dashwell.” 

Joe,” said Dashwell, after he had put his note to 
Domore in an envelope and carefully closed it, ‘Hhere is 
one thing about that old-fashioned church which gives 
me some uneasiness. Domore tells me that the stiffest 
kind of Calvinism is in fashion there. They swear by the 
old Confession of Faith, and seem to believe it all right 


16 


MR, DA SITWELL, 


up to the handle. The old doctor has been raining down 
fire and brimstone upon their heads for the last fifty years, 
and I suppose they will expect something of the sort from 
me, or they will not be satisfied.’’ 

“I don’t know about that, Jim,” said Eev. Mr. Joe, 
after wearing an appearance of profound thought for a 
few seconds; ‘‘it may be that a few sugar-coated pills 
just now will be all the more acceptable after the dosing 
they have had with acids, astringents and caustics. Draw 
it mild at first, and see how it takes. If you find that 
they miss the old smell of brimstone, why just explode a 
little occasionally ; it can’t do any harm.” 

“I’m afraid that it may,” said Jim, with a doubtful 
shake of the head ; “ that sort of thing may do very well 
for the old membership, they are used to it, and I suppose 
rather like it; but, Joe, I am going to lay myself out to 
draw a crowd, and you know that such preaching don’t 
tickle them. If I h\^ sulphur enough to fiU the nostrils 
of the old fogies, I shall stifle the new-com^” 

Again Joe was buried in meditation. After a while he 
said, with something of tlie air of a theological professor : 

“Well, Jim, if I were in your place I would let the 
doctrines alone in the pulpit as much as possible. Preach 
on general subjects, the topics of the day, general litera- 
ture, and so on. If the old fellows don’t grumble too 
much, put in plenty of seasoning for your chance cus- 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 17 

tomers. Crack a joke now and then ; but don’t make 
them too broad at first. Then there is another thing, 
Jim : you ought to be at^ to amuse the gi:^. Get in 
something of the amatory stripe as often as possible, 
‘Euth and Naomi,’ ‘ Eebekah at the well,’ and so on. 
They will take it kindly from you and the Eev. Joe 
cast a side glance at his good-looking chum. 

‘‘ Thank you, thank you, Joe ; but now here is another 
trouble, I hardly know how I shall get along with 
members of the session. Domore tells me that their 
orthodoxy is of the very toughest kind, and when they 
get afloat on foreor^nation, predestination, and election, 
I shall be all^shore. Then there’s the old doctor; why, 
I shall have to meet him three times a day at least for a 
year to come,” 

‘‘Well, Jim, I am really sorry for you; but all that I 
can say is, cram up on the doctrines, get yourself well 
posted for the session meetings, and don’t, contradict, 
whatever you may think yourself; it never does any good. 
If the session and the old doctor should feel the want of 
orthodoxy, why just'" pile it into them, in private. In 
that way you will be better able to keep it out of the 
pulpit in public. If you want to keep on the right side 
of the old minister, play the agreeable to that handsome 
girl of his ; but of course you won’t get in earnest about 
it, and make a fool of yourself.” 

2 * 


18 


J^EV, ME. EA SEWELL. 


“ No ; not much, I guess,” said Mr. Dashwell. 

“After a while, when you have drawn full houses for 
a time, and seem likely to hold on to them, why then 
you can be a little more independent, and snap your 
fingers in the faces of the old fogies. In the meantime, 
and especially until* you get a permanent call, you must 
expect to put up with a good many little annoyances. 
Circulate among the old ladies; hold their skeins while 
they wind the yarn. I need not give you any advice as 
to your* duty to the young ones; your own good taste 
will direct you as to that. Take an interest in all the 
babies in their mothers' arms; kiss them occasionally if 
they have not been banqueting too recently. Be regular 
in your attendance at sewing-circles, festivals, raffles, and 
other secular church ordinanges; and may God bless you, 
old boy, in your labors of love. ITl come down and give 
you a call when you get settled, and see how you look 
in your new clothes.” 


CHAPTEE II. 


I 

^r. Mtofibbriiigj anir ^aM. 

Two or three weeks before Mr. Dashwelfs conversation 
( with his friend Joe at the seminary ’about his call to 
the First Presbyterian Church at Hampton, on a bright 
Sunday morning in May the usual congregation were 
; entering that edifice to attend the regular morning ser- 
I vice. The ample porch of the substantial stone building 
^ was lined with the young and old of the male sex, solemn- 
visaged loungers, who seemed to think it an essential 
■ preliminary of worship to stand on guard at the church 
door for at least fifteen minutes before entering the family 
i pew. Such, at all events, had been the custom so far 
back as the oldest church-goer in Hampton could recol- 
lect. The worthy farmers and landowners for miles 
around, after tying their sleek teams under the sheds at 
the rear of the church, and leaving them to whisk off the 
j flies and quietly meditate until the end of the service, 

I were accustomed to assemble themselves on this ancient 
portico, exchange greetings for at least once in the week, 
and indulge in such subdued remarks as would come . 
within the domain of Sabbath-day conversation. As this 
had been the habit for many generations, of course it 
attracted no especial attention when Elder Domore led 

19 


20 


MR. DASH WELL, 


Elder Piacli to a little out-of-the-way corner, behind one 
of the large columns, for a short conference. 

'‘Brother Pinch,'’ said Elder Domore, "I would like 
to have a little conversation with you about the state of 
affairs in our church.” 

Elder Pinch looked at Elder Domore inquiringly, and 
with some little surprise, for he could not for the moment 
think of any important matter requiring an immediate 
consultation of members of the session. 

But it seems to be necessary that the reader should 
learn something more than he yet knows about the First 
Presbyterian Church of Hampton, and of the place itself 
before he can fully appreciate the conversation of the two 
elders. 

Hampton is a pleasant village situated at the head of 
one of the beautiful bays which indent the northern shore 
of Long Island. So far as is known it was never laid out 
at all; but commenced growing, as the oldest inhabitant 
believes, spontaneously two or three hundred years ago. 
It is quite probable that the primitive settler and the 
aboriginal Indian may have assembled in town council to 
locate the streets ; for the most delightful irregularity and 
deviousness prevails. The old country road, which runs 
along the northern shore of the island from east to west, 
winds through the village, or rather the village once 
planted itself upon the road for a distance of three or 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 21 

four miles, and now claims it as the main street. It is 
certain that no surveyor’s compass ever fixed the direction 
of this main street, nor of many others which diverge 
therefrom. These streets simply branched off at conve- 
nient intervals, commenced running, and continued to run 
until they turned some shady corner, or hid themselves 
behind some grassy knoll, and were seen no more. Along 
these roads, as the fancy of the original owners would 
dictate, were founded the substantial mansions of the 
early settlers. Surrounded by shrubbery, partly hidden 
by spreading oaks, branching elms, or tall locusts, they 
still stand, with a quiet dignity and repose which give the 
impression that they were placed there to remain, with no 
expectation that the march of events could ever rudely 
summon them to ‘‘move on.” There lived and died gen- 
eration after generation of those who seemed to wish for 
nothing more than they could find in the simplicity and 
comfort of the homes which had been the homes of their 
ancestors. 

As was Solomon’s temple to the Jews, as is St. Peter’s 
to those who kiss the'^toe of the Pope, such was the Pres- 
byterian Church to the former inhabitants of Hampton. 
No need then to call it the “ First Presbyterian for at 
that time no second church of the same denomination had 
thought of intruding itself. There were other churches in 
the village, it is true: the Episcopalians had their edifice. 


22 


MR, DASHWELL, 


the Methodists their meeting-house, the Universalists their 
little chapel upon the hill; but the church of the place, 
as all men knew, was the Presbyterian. It was indeed 
a venerable building. The tradition that the British 
cavalry in Revolutionary times once stabled their horses 
within its walls, did not detract at all from the veneration 
in which it was held. The fact that it remained standing 
through those trying scenes was regarded rather as an 
omen that the assaults of the adversary should never 
prevail against it. 

To this church more than forty years before the com- 
mencement of our history had the Rev. James Wood- 
bridge l^een invited as pastor. Through these many years, • 
which- seemed to him short, he had gone in and out before 
his people, only realizing that he was gi’owing old when 
he saw in the elder’s pew, sitting in solemn dignity, those 
whom he once knew as frolicsome boys. In the course of 
years the infant he once baptized had presented in due 
time his own offspring, who in turn offered one of a third 
generation for the same ceremony. Many a bashful bride- 
groom in expectation, who in the friendly shade of the 
evening had approached the parsonage door, and had 
hesitated there long with his nervous fingers on the big 
iron krmcker, did the kind pastor relieve of all embar- 
rassment by anticipating the halting request with a kind 
inquiry as to the happy day and hour. The gravelly 


THE E'EVV MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 


23 


walks of Cemetery Hill had become familiar with his 
footstep as he had preceded the coffin of the old, the 
middle-aged and the young on its journey to its last 
resting-place. In this village of the dead during these 
many years he had laid away the companion of his own 
life and all of his children, excepting one, a daughter, 
the youngest born, who alone was left to him in the almost 
desolate parsonage. 

But the village and the village church were not 
destined to retain permanently their primitive state of 
simplicity and repose. As the century plant will remain 
through decades of years in prickly dignity, only honored 
for its longevity, and then at some unexpected moment 
will bloom and blossom as the rose, so did Hampton. 
The coachman’s horn, which for a hundred years had 
resounded among the drowsy hills without disturbing 
their slumbers, gave way at last to the whistle of the 
locomotive, when suddenly the village awoke. New York 
city knocked at its doors and demanded room for lodgers; 
and they came. They came in swarms, pouring from 
every train which (hourly disgorged at the depot. They 
came in dress suits, in business suits, and in their working 
clothes. They came: the man of business and the man 
of no business; the working man with stone-hammer and 
slouch hat; the dandy with his cane and shining steeple 
crown ; the lawyer with linen duster on his arm and little 


24 


MR. DASH WELL, 


leather satchel in his hand; the physician with great pills 
and the pliysician with little pills; the black-breasted, 
white throated clergyman, hopping and chirping along 
under the wdng of some portly and wealthy dowager 
clothed in sombre velvet and gaudy plumage; the tea- 
merchant, the tobacca-merchant, the liquor dealer, and the 
real-estate agent ; the boot-black with box and brush and 
smutty face, before whom the bare-footed country boy 
with chip hat, shirt-sleeves, strong suspenders, elevated 
trowsers, and fishing-tackle, faded away as did the Indian 
before the pale face. New streets ran hither and thither 
through and around the ancient borough of Hampton 
with the most distressing rectangularity ; and before the 
curbstone could feel secure in its new bed, houses of wood 
and brick would spring up on either side. 

Pretentious villas with closely shaven lawns and jetting 
fountains, with green-houses and aviaries, with coach- 
houses and dog-pagodas, sat smirking in disdain at their 
old-fashioned neighbors. Public parks with meandering 
walks spread themselves where once were seen wide pas- 
tures traversed by the devious cowpath, while artificial 
lakes with their Ipng-necked swan superseded the orignal 
village frog-pond with its primitive goose. The broad- 
faced, old-fashioned mansion, whose roof in front had 
been bowing blandly upon every passer-by for a century, 
while that in the rear was quietly executing a courtesy 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 25 

almost to the ground, now began to peer inquiringly out 
of its many little windows towards its. old neighbor over 
the way, as if to ask what the end of all these things 
might be. Modern improvements and modern wicked- 
nesses each found an abode in what was once the ancient 
village, now the modern town. 

As might be supposed, new churches arose in Hampton 
as the population increased. If the stiffness of ancient 
orthodoxy remained in some, in others the most pliant 
sensationalism of modern times found its worshippers. A 
‘‘Second Presbyterian” w^as built, with stained windows 
and arches, with a taller spire than belonged to the 
“ First,” with a larger organ and a more operatic choir, 
with softer cushions in its low-backed pews, and finally, 
with a more modern pulpit decorated and adorned with 
a young, handsome and popular minister. 

Of course it grew and flourished, and became filled 
with new-comers, who were not unwilling to air their city 
fashions before the rural eyes of the substantial burghers 
of the ancient “ First.” These last were even beginning 
to feel that the antiquated dignity of themselves and their 
church was in some danger of being overshadowed.. More- 
over, in the progress of events many of the recent arrivals, 
as was perfectly proper, had taken pews in the old instead 
of the new church, and within its antiquated walls ven- 
tured to ventilate their modern ideas of church worship, 

* 


3 


26 


HIlV. MR. DASHWELL, 


even going so far as to criticise Dr. Woodbridge’s style 
of preaching, and to suggest that it might be somewhat 
behind the age. They hinted that a younger man with a 
more modern mode of thought and expression, might be 
needed to maintain the supremacy of the old church over 
all its rivals. Some of these reformers had even suc^ 
ceeded in introducing themselves into offices of power ar.d 
responsibility, and were numbered among the elders. One 
of these was Elder Domore ; and now the communication 
that he was about to make to Elder Pinch in the church 
portico will perhaps be understood. 

Elder Domore, as has been said, was one of the new- 
comers who had joined the First Presbyterian Church, and 
had recently been elected a member of its session. His 
business was that of a produce commission dealer in the 
city of New York. The hours of daylight for six days of 
the week were spent in the great city, while the hours of 
darkness and Sundays were passed at. Hampton. He was 
an active man in the church. He was so accustomed to 
driving sharp bargains during the week for his own 
temporal prosperity, that, to be consistent, he feit it his 
duty to exercise the same degree of shrewdness on the 
Sabbath for the welflire of Zion. In business and religion 
he was energetic; his very hair was crisp with energy. 
He was ever ready for a new move, no matter what it 
miaht be. As agitation was the life of trade, so he con- 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 27 

sidered it the life of the church. He called it progress. 
If iu the execution of his plans for reform, ambitious 
schemes for the prosperity of himself or of his friends 
could be gratified, Elder Domore ascribed the desirable 
result to the kindness of an overruling Providence; and 
if, on the other hand, the success of his projects meant 
disaster to some other individual, so much the worse, 
thought he, for the individual, although submission to a 
divine dispensation would be most devoutly recommended 
by the worthy elder nevertheless. 

Elder Pinch was one of the old residents. He had 
listened from boyhood to the preaching of Hr. Wood- 
bridge. He was a hard-fisted man of wealth. The pros- 
perity of the First Presbyterian Church’’ was near to his 
soul; but it is to be feared that the temporal was some- 
times apt to overtop the spiritual in his estimation. He 
prayed most fervently for its success; but a successful 
cliurch in his view vras one whose pews were all filled 
with occupants paying good rentals; that the pastor might 
be able to attract such to his church was the blessing, the 
elder implored for him, and so long as this auspicious 
result was accomplished, no man stood more firmly by 
the side of the minister than did ‘Elder Pinch. During 
the many earlier years that Dr. Woodbridge had officiated 
in the First Church, he had preached the gospel in all its 
purity to well-filled pews, and the elder was satisfied. 


28 


KEV, MR. DASHWELL^ 


When rival churches threatened to eclipse the grandeur 
of his ancient Zion, he began to grow anxious, though 
as yet he had hardly thought of the remedy which had 
for some time been filling the mind of Ililder Domore. 

‘'Brother Pinch,” said Elder Domore, as he drew that 
individual by the coat-sleeve to a private corner of the 
church-porch after old Dr. Woodbridge had already taken 
his seat in the pulpit, and was selecting the hymns for the 
morning, “ haven’t you noticed that the attendance upon 
the church service has fallen off somewhat lately ? The 
pews did not seem to go off quite so briskly as usual at the 
last renting season, and they didn’t seem to bring as high 
prices. Now,” said he, putting a finger through a button- 
hole of Elder Pinch’s coat, and watching the expression 
of his countenance as he proceeded, “ don’t you think it is 
about time to have some change in the pulpit? Isn’t the 
old doctor getting a little behind the age, and wouldn’t 
a younger man fill up the pews and draw in outsiders 
better? You know that if all the pews are taken it will 
be easier of course to meet the expenses of the church. 
Besides, the Second Presbyterian is taking off our mem- 
bers, and will soon get ahead of us if we keep on at this 
rate.” 

Elder Domore saw that his last two arguments were 
clinchers for Brother Pinch, and he felt quite sure that he 
might count upon his aid in his schemes to supersede the 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 29 

old pastor. Although Brother Pinch was in the habit 
of praying earnestly for the upbuilding of the walls of 
Zion, he always mentally excepted the walls of the Second 
Presbyterian Church, so long as that structure was to be 
reared at any expense to the First. And of course any 
proposition that would look to the increase of the yearly 
income of his own church was likely to meet with his 
approval. 

‘‘Yes,” said Elder Pinch, as the thought struck him; 
“but what should we do with the old doctor?” 

“Do!” said Elder Domore. “ Why, what can the old 
man expect? Must the whole church suffer because he is 
getting behind the times? N^ow, I have already spoken 
to Elders Smith, Enoch, and Abel about the matter, and 
they have agreed, with your consent, to call a meeting of 
the session to-morrow evening in the lecture-room, and to 
request the old doctor not to be present, so that we can 
discuss the matter freely among ourselves.” 

“Well, go ahead; I will be at the meeting; but it is 
time to go in,’’ said Elder Pinch ; and thus skillfully did 
Brother Domore fan a little flame which he hoped would 
end in quite a conflagration in the First Presbyterian 
Church of Hampton. 

3 * 


CHAPTER III. 


|r. tl0O))l)ril)Se iralj llabtl 

The conspiring elders entered the church and took 
their accustomed seats. The old doctor was just rising 
in the pulpit to offer his usual morning invocation, the 
Lord’s Prayer. The mellow light found its way through 
the blinds which shaded the large windows, fell in silvery 
streaks about the pulpit, and rested upon the whitened 
head of the minister. The benevolent, intellectual, some- 
what careworn expression of countenance showed that he 
was one whom it would be easy both to respect and love. 
He raised his thin hands over the bowed heads of the 
lar^e congregation, and in clear but solemn tones he 
repeated the prayer of the ages. He did not attempt 
with drawling affectation, nor with rhythmical undula- 
tions of voice, to reproduce before their Author in an 
improved modern style the words uttered by Himself 
eighteen hundred years ago ; but he spoke as if making 
an address to a God whom he believed to be personally 
present. Following the prayer came the morning hymn, 
and the swell of music arose from the organ, the choir, 
and the throng before him. It came not in piping tones 
from the hired quartet ensconced in the organ loft at the 
30 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 


81 


rear of tlie silent multitude, but it was the voluntary 
offering of the young men and fair maidens of almost 
the entire congreg^ion. Then followed the long prayer, 
another hymn, and the pastor arose to deliver the sermon. 
Like a faithful shepherd, he seemed to think it his duty 
to feed the sheep under his immediate care. It did not 
appear to be his great aim by alluring baits of eloquence 
to attract as many as possible from neighboring folds to 
his own. He made no attempt to entice stragglers from 
other churches to his by tempting bits of pulpit jocularity 
and semi-sacred witticisms. Of such modern clerical 
accomplishments Dr. Woodbridge was entirely destitute. 
His imperfection in this respect was most deeply lamented 
by Elder Domore. 

Aside from this deficiency, it was not easy to see why 
he might not yet serve his people for a long time to come 
as in the years past. Nothing in voice or manner served 
to show either that his eye was dimmed or that his natural 
force was abated. It is possible that his orthodo'xy might 
have appeared to some of rather an antiquated type. Pie 
seemed to have an old^shioned belief in the Bible. He 
did not speculate particularly upon the precise length of 
the six days of creation, but it was evident that he 
believed in such a creation by a personal Creator. He 
did not believe that this Being had so environed the 
world he once made by immutable laws, that He thought 


32 


REV. MR. DASHWELL, 


it unnecessary longer to give it His personal supervision. 
Neither did he fairly accept the theory that the original 
Adam and Eve were hirsute chimpanzees, swinging from 
the branches of the fairest trees of the garden, and chat- 
tering to each other of the brilliancy of their descendants, 
who should finally succeed in recognizing their ancestors. 

He took his seat after announcing the last hymn. The 
sexton came up the pulpit stairs and handed him a note. 
It was written in the bold hand of Elder Domore, request- 
ing the announcement of a special meeting of the session 
for Monday evening. Attached was a private note asking 
the pastor not to be present on that occasion. 

The old minister understood the meaning of the request, 
and he felt that the beginning of the end was at hand. 
He imagined, from intimations he had received, for what 
purpose the meeting of the church officers had been called. 
He felt that the smoothly revolving years had been sum- 
moned to a rude halt, as if by a pebble dropping in 
the machinery. Even though they might continue their 
revolutions as before, he knew that the remembrance of 
the shock would never pass away. Eecollections of years 
gone by swept rapidly through his mind as he looked over 
the all-unconscious congregation, perhaps soon to belong to 
another. He remembered the still greater congregation 
of the dead who had once filled those seats. He thought 
of his own dead children and of the wife who walked by 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 


33 


his side through many of the earlier years of his ministry. 
Then he thought of the loving one yet left to him. His 
eyes turned to the choir, anH there she stood, beautiful 
indeed in the bloom of womanhood, joining in the song 
of praise, which he feared might soon have for her a more 
mournful cadence. Then, indeed, came the bitterness of 
the blow to the old pastor. How could he announce to 
his daughter, the comfort and light of his home, that even 
that home in which her entire life had been spent might 
soon be taken from her! 

With a firm voice he made the announcement, the 
object of which but few of the congregation understood, 
and dismissed his audience with the benediction. 

‘‘Father,’’ said Mabel Woodbridge, when they had 
taken their seats at the dinner-table, after their return 
to the parsonage from the morning service, “ why was a 
meeting of the session called for to-morrow evening?” 

“ I do not know positively, my dear,” said her father. 

Mabel looked up with some surprise. “ Why, father I 
can there be a meeting of the session without your knowl- 
edge of the object?” 

“ In this case it seems there will be, Mabel. The meet- 
ing was called without any consultation with me. I knew 
nothing of it until the sexton brought the notice to the 
pulpit this morning. He brought also a private note, 
requesting me not to be present at the meeting to-morrow 
evening.” 


34 


/^£V. MR. DASHWELL, 


‘‘Why, father, what can it mean?” said Mabel, with a 
look of wonder. 

“ Well, Mabel, I think can guess ; for I have had 
some intimation,” said Dr. Wood bridge, his voice growing 
husky as he spoke. ‘‘ I have not often concealed anything 
that concerns us both from you, Mabel, and I would rather 
tell you now myself than that you should learn it from 
others. My dear, last night Elder Smith told me that 
there was a movement on foot in our church to get some 
younger minister to fill my place.” 

“Oh, father, can it be possible!” said Mabel, springing 
from her seat and putting her arms around his neck and 
kissing his cheek and forehead again and again as the 
tears poured from her eyes. “Oh, father! who in this 
church can think of such a cruel thing, and with you too 
who have been so faithful so long? Who could have 
thought of such a thing, and what do they mean ?” 

“ Why, my dear daughter,” said the old minister, with 
a trembling voice and with a few tears trickling down his 
own cheeks, “ do you not know that your father is getting 
to be an old man ; and you know too that the place has 
changed much within the last few years, and that there 
are many new-comers from the city now in our church; 
and it may be that many of the people would like a more 
modern style of preaching than mine, and a younger man 
than I am now.” 


THE HEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 35 

‘‘Why, father, how can they feel so? I am sure the 
church is large and prosperous. I know that you are 
not so old that you need give up preaching yet. I am 
sure no younger man can give better sermons than you 
do. Isn’t it wicked to think of such a thing? Who 
started it?” 

“ Well, my dear,” said Dr. Woodbridge, drawing his 
daughter closely to his side, “ I have not yet heard much 
as to the origin of the movement. It was a surprise to 
me, although I knew of course that I must step aside at 
some time ; but I thought that it might not be for a few 
years to come. But I inferred from Elder Smith’s state- 
ment that Elder Domore was the originator of the move- 
ment.” 

“ Elder Domore ! Why, he is the member of the 
session only just elected, and has known you only for a 
little while ! How could he wish you, who have preached 
here as long as he has lived, to be set aside now? But I 
don’t believe he can succeed; do you think he can? I 
know Elder Wentworth will never give his consent.” 

“ I cannot tell what may be done, Mabel. When a 
movement of this kind is started in a church, it often leads 
to trouble in the end. But whatever shall happen, we 
know that all that may occur will be in accordance with 
the will of a Divine Providence, and will be for the best.” 

“I can’t believe it will ever be permitted. It will be 


J^EV. MR. DASHJVEZL, 


36 

so cruel to you; it does seem wicked. I can’t bear to 
think of it,” and once more Mabel was convulsed wiih 
sobs, buried her face in her handkerchief, and hastily left 
the room. The old minister leaned his head on his 
hands, with his elbows on the table for a few minutes, and 
then leaving his dinner untouched, retired to his study. 

Mabel Woodbridge was, at the time our story com- 
mences, about eighteen years of age. She was amiable, 
intelligent, and beautiful. Her complexion was that of 
the blonde rather than the brunette; her features of the 
Grecian type. The expression of her countenance was 
genial and confiding. She was disposed to trust all; 
suspicion was not an element of her character. Her 
truthfulness and the frankness and open-heartedness of 
manner to which it led, may be accounted for by the fact 
that the circumstances of her life were such that she 
necessarily saw only the brighter and better side of human 
nature. The events attending her birth and early educa- 
tion were such as to excite only the tender interest and 
the kindest regards of the community in which she dwelt. 
She might have been called the child of the church of 
which her father was the pastor. When but a few weeks 
old she was left, by the death of her mother, alone with 
her father without brother or sister. An old colored nurse 
tenderly cared for her during her infancy and childhood, 
and supervised household afiairs at the parsonage. Her 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 


37 


father was her only and almost constant companion, and 
the love which they came to entertain for each other was 
as tender, deep, and unselfish as human love can w^ell be. 

But Mabel had, outside of her own home, associations 
which had a favorable effect upon the formation of her 
character. Just across the street from the parsonage was 
the mansion of Judge Wentworth, a prominent lawyer, an 
elder in the First Presbyterian Church, and one of the 
staunch friends and warm admirers of Dr. Woodbridge. 
Mrs. Wentworth also, during the life of Mrs. Woodbridge, 
had been one of her most intimate and trusted friends, 
and she had promised the dying mother that she would 
always watch with tender interest over the little one to be 
left so early an orphan. Most faithfully had she fulfilled 
her promise. Mabel found a home in the kind hearts of 
the family of the judge, and when not with her father, 
could generally be found at the hospitable abode across 
the way. 

Tom and Carrie Wentworth were the two children of 
the elder ; Tom a little older, and Carrie a little younger 
than Mabel. Mrs. Wentworth had instructed her chil- 
dren always to treat Mabel as a sister, and most strictly 
was she obeyed by both, and especially by Tom. His 
earliest ambition was to shine in the eyes of his sisters, 
particularly of his sister Mabel. If she only knew that 
he could run faster and jump further than any other boy 
4 


38 


MR. DASHWELL, 


of his age in the village school, he was satisfied. Certain 
victories also in boxing-matches, made after school hours 
in retired spots, he felt entitled to narrate, only that he 
feared Mabel might not appreciate the brilliancy of his 
exploits in that direction. But in general Tom could not 
complain that his merits were not duly appreciated by his 
two sisters. The little private colloquies which the two 
girls would hold together upon the manly excellencies of 
their hero ought to have satisfied his ambition if only he 
could have overheard them. A prudent consideration for 
the vanity of boys, and their own maidenly reserve led 
them, however, to withhold from Tom any undue flattery, 
though Carrie would occasionally whisper in his ear an 
epitome of their conversation. He was their knight-at- 
arms at all events, on every occasion when boys can be 
made useful to girls. It was a grand day for him, and a 
happy one for them when, after the early frosts of 
autumn, he could lead the way through the woods just 
out of Hampton, where he, of all the boys of the village, 
knew exactly where the finest chestnuts could be found in 
the greatest abundance. No crusader returning from the 
plains beyond Jerusalem, covered with blood and glory 
from the slaughter of the Saracen, was ever received by 
lady-love with greater admiration than was Tom when he 
descended from the dizzy heights of the chestnut-tree, 
bristling with pride and satisfaction and chestnut-burs. 



39 


THE HEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 

At the same village-school the three received their early 
education. On Wednesday afternoons, the season of com- 
positions and declamations, when the boys and girls of the 
school would assemble in the large school-room to listen 
and wonder as the incipient Websters and Clays fulmi- 
nated their oratorical thunderbolts, it was a proud hour 
f)r Tom when he could ascend the rostrum, conscious that 
from the row of upturned childish faces that of Mabel was 
beaming upon him ; and if, while wakening from his 
dreams the Turk who was slumbering in his guarded tent, 
he chanced to catch for the moment her admiring glance, 
his eloquence was inspired as was Cicero’s by applauding 
senates and it remained unchecked in its flow until amid 
flame and.smoke ‘‘ Bozarris breathed his last.” On winter 
evenings it became the duty as well as pleasure of Tom 
to escort his two sisters to the skating-pond, and with a 
hand of each in his own to guide them swiftly over the 
smooth ice. Strange as- it seemed to him, his sister 
Mabel’s hand always affected his nervous system differ- 
ently from his sister Carrie’s. The first sent a peculiar 
thrill up to his elboWs, which the latter did not. Tom’s 
mental philosophy never satisfactorily explained the rea- 
son why. Tom’s theory was that it was a magnetic 
current; he had read of the direct and the reverse. He 
concluded that Mabel’s fingers gave the direct and 
Carrie’s the reverse. 


40 


REV, MR, DASHWELL. 


As time passed on the two girls were sent to a boarding- 
school, while Tom entered a classical school to prepare for 
college. As they would meet after months of separation, 
Tom’s ambition to win the admiration of Mabel remained 
unabated ; and if Mabel’s response to his efforts chanced 
to be less openly manifest, there is reason to believe that 
Tom felt that he was not entirely unsuccessful. 

Not only with the Wentworths but with all the families 
of the congregation Mabel came more or less in contact. 
It was the delight of her father to have the company of his 
daughter on his visits to his parishioners. It became her 
duty also to entertain those who called at the parsonage. 
With the careful training of her father, with the watchful 
care of Mrs. Wentworth, with a mind quick to learn and 
to adapt itself to circumstances, she early attained a 
maturity of thought and judgment which might not in 
a different situation have belonged to her. 

Thus the years of her life had passed quickly and 
pleasantly away, until the first dark cloud arose and the 
first great grief overtook her in the thought that her father 
might be removed from the church he had served so long. 
In fact, until Elder Domore called a meeting of the session 
to which her father was not invited, the idea that her 
childhood’s home might become the home of a stranger 
had hardly occurred to her imagination. 


CHAPTER IV. 


Swsi0n Itwting. 

The gas was lighted in one corner of the large basement 
which was the lecture-room of the First Presbyterian 
Church, on the Monday evening at the hour appointed 
for the meeting of the session. That entire body, eight 
members in all, both deacons and elders, were present, for 
the occasion was one of unusual importance. For the first 
time in the recollection of any of them Avas the pastor 
absent at their request and because they knew that the 
object of their meeting was one with which he could 
hardly be expected to sympathize. Elder Domore was 
bustling about among the brethren, whispering, and nod- 
ding, and shaking hands. He had not made his usual 
trip to New York during the day, but, neglecting his 
business in the city, had spent the time in private, earnest 
consultation with different members of the session, the fruit 
of which he hoped would be manifest at the evening meet- 
ing. The elder was something of a politician ; he believed 
in canvassing before the primaries Avere held, and in 
private pledging before taking the risk of a general 
debate in open session. 

Elder WentAVortli Avas appointed temporary chairman 

41 


42 


MR. DASHWELL, 


in the absence of the pastor. He called upon Elder 
Doiiiore to offer prayer. 

The elder was gifted in prayer. When the weekly 
prayer-meeting had been thrown open/’ and the pastor 
had announced that the opportunity was then offered for 
some brother to lead in prayer or offer a few remarks, and 
a silence which might have been felt had settled over the 
entire assembly as brother glanced sidewise at brother, 
Elder Domore was ever ready to break the spell by rising 
to his feet. A due sense of gratitude for such promptness 
had resulted in his election as an elder of the church, 
even before he had become personally or thoroughly 
known by a majority of the church members.. 

On the present occasion he prayed long and loud, and 
with unction. He prayed for the church universal, and 
for the First Presbyterian Church of Hampton in particu- 
lar. He prayed for its pastor, and that rf it should appear 
to be the will of Divine Providence that he should be re- 
lieved from the labors resting now so heavily upon him, 
a successor or co-laborer might speedily be found. This 
last petition Elder Domore had faith to believe would not 
go unanswered. He thought that if they could only suc- 
ceed in setting aside the old minister, he himself could 
guarantee that a successor should readily be discovered. 
As to the first part of his request his faith was not quite 
so strong, but he had a considerable confidence, never- 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 43 

tlieless, that his day’s labors in manipulating members of 
the session had made it evident to a majority of them that 
it was the divine will that the old pastor should be ousted 
from the pulpit. The side thoughts of this character 
which would flash through his mind as his lips were 
pouring out petitions and confessions, of course the elder 
did not feel called upon to express in language. He knew 
it to be unnecessary to announce them to the Divine Being 
whom he was addressing, as they were already known to 
Him, and he thought his cause might be injured if he 
proclaimed his plans too openly to the members of the 
session. Then the elder confesed hisjii^s with an e viden t 
I r elish.y One might have supposed that he considered him- 
self the chief of sinners, and, upon the whole, was rather 
proud of the preeminence. His confessions, however, 
were somewhat general in their character. If he had 
been called upon to enter into particulars, and thoroughly 
to explain all the motives 'which were inducing him to 
undertako the present crusade against the old pastor, it 
is likely that he would have been less voluble. He con- 
cluded with a prayed for all the heathen who were' living 
in ignorance of the gospel, one of whose ministers he hoped, 
by skillful wire-pulling, to place in a position of depend- 
ence which no heathen would feel inclined to envy. He 
closed with the usual peroration, and sat dowm, wiping Ins 
lips with satisfaction. 


44 


REV. MR. DASHWELL, 


Elder Wentworth called for a statement of the object 
for which the meeting had been convened. 

Elder Eomore arose once more, grasped with one hand 
the rail of the pew in front of him, while he plunged the 
other deep into his trousers’ pocket. “ Brethren,” said 
he, in a prayer-meeting tone of voice, ‘‘ I originated the 
call for this meeting. The purpose is to consider the 
question of a colleague or a successor of Dr, Woodbridge. 
We all know that times have changed since he commenced 
preaching in this place. The village has grown rapidly 
and new churches have sprung up around our own. 
Other churches about us have grown more rapidly than 
ours. To be sure, Dr. Woodbridge is a good preacher and 
an excellent pastor, but his style is n^ one that attracts 
at the present ^y. We want to dmw in outsiders and 
fill up the pews. To do this we need a younger, more 
popular man with a more modern style than that of the 
old doctor. I have talked with some of the brethren of 
the session, and they agree with me that a change of some 
kind would perhaps be desirable. I therefore offer the 
following resolution ; 

Resolved, That the Eev. James Dashwell be invited 
to preach in the First Presbyterian Church for one year, 
as associate of Eev. Dr. Woodbridge.” 

Elder Domore explained that the Eev. James Dashwell 
was a young man, a recent graduate of the seminary, 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 


45 


with remarkable oratorical powers, and well calculated to 
stir up a drowsy church. He intimated that he was well 
versed in all the modern pulpit accomplishments and im- 
pr^oyements. He called to the recollection of the brethren 
the circumstance that he had already once preached in 
their church and was well liked. He was of the opinion 
that this most desirable supply for the pulpit could be 
obtained if approached at once. The question of a future 
call could afterward be managed if minister and people 
were satisfied. Elder Dqmore did not mention that the 
Rever^e^ Mr. Dashwell and himself had been reconnoit- 
eri^ for momths past to ascertain whether the pulpit of 
Dr. Woodbridge might be easily captured, and that his 
present movement was the first skirmish in force, under 
the direction of the talented young divine in question. 

After this announcement of the elder, the discussion of 
the resolution became somewhat informal in its character. 

“Brother Domore,’’ said Elder Wentworth, “have you 
heard of any widespread dissatisfaction among the congre- 
gation with Dr. Woodbridge or his preaching?’’ 

Elder Domore replied that he had heard no very loud 
complaints. 

“Could not Dr. Woodbridge preach still longer, perhaps 
for several years yet, with as much success as heretofore?” 
asked Elder Wentworth. 

“ Possibly he could,” replied Elder Domore. 


J^£V. MR. DASH WELL, 


40 

Has not the church now about the same number upon 
its roll of members, and has not the general attendance 
been about the same lately as in the years past ?’’ 

‘‘ It may have been,” was the reply. 

‘‘ Will you allow me to ask you, then, why at the 
present time, more than in the years past, it is necessary 
to make the change you propose ?” 

Elder Domore had a private reason for an immediate 
change, and one very convincing to his own mind, in the 
fact that his young friend had just graduated and was 
ready for a charge. He did not, however, offer that 
re. .son to the session. 

“ Why,” said he, you know a change must be made at 
some time not many years distant, and why not at present? 
If another and a younger man can fill up the church 
better than Dr. Woodbridge can, why not give him a call 
at once?” 

‘‘Dr. Woodbridge has the same ability to preach at 
present as in the past,” said Elder Wentworth. “I can- 
not see why at this particular time a change should be 
thought necessary. If he should become disabled, the 
case would be different; so also if the church were deci- 
dedly deteriorating through his inefficiency, it might be 
best to make a change. None of us believe that such is 
the fact at present. It may be that some other minister 
might attract larger audiences than Dr. Woodbridge, but 


THE NEW MINIS TEE AT HAMPTON. 47 

it does not seem to me that such a circumstance would 
justify any change now. Neither do I think that it 
would necessarily be an advantage to the church if large 
crowds were attracted to it.’’ 

Elder Domore opened his eyes widely at the heresy, as 
it seemed to him, of the last remark, and even Elder 
Pinch, who was generally conservative, was constrained 
to say : 

‘'Why, Brother Wentworth, would not the financial 
burdens of the church be more easily borne if the pews 
were all rented, and would not a greater number be 
brought thereby within hearing of the gospel?” 

“ The burdens of the church would be diminished, and 
more would listen to the preaching of the gospel, and both 
of these results would generally be considered and gener- 
ally would be a blessing to any church,” replied Elder 
Wentworth; “but there may be exceptions to this general 
rule. It seems to me that the advantage of filling up the 
pews of the church depends entirely upon the methods 
used to fill them. If people are induced to attend church 
by a belief that they Cwi^ hear only sou^d go^l truths 
preached, then I believe that filling up the pews^is in(ked 
a blessing; but if they are led to co^e by the hoj:)e of 
hearing an oratorical display or good jok^ from the 
pulpit, or an operatic performance from the choir, then I 
am not sure that it is an advantage.” 


43 MR, DASH WELL, 

‘‘But,” said Elder Domore, “have we not a right to 
expect that those who are thus led to attend church may 
be benefited, who never would have been seen inside of a 
church but for such attractions?” 

“ Suppose the argument should be carried a little 
further. Brother Domore,” said Elder Wentworth. “If 
it is right to resort to all the methods I have mentioned, 
to induce people to attend church, methods which certainly 
are not the plain preaching of the truth, but are only 
little devices to entrap outsiders, which might be called 
in a single word, ‘sensationalism,’ then where shall we 
stop ? One man will not attend church to hear a sermon, 
but will come to listen to purely operatic music. We 
give him the music to induce him to attend. Another 
cares nothing for the sermon or the opera, but would be 
willing to come if he could listen to a play before the 
sermon. Shall we provide a moral play to secure his 
attendance upon the devotional exercises ? As soon as we 
admit in the pulpit that which is not strictly gospel 
preaching, that which does not inspire devoti^al emotion, 
or attempt to supplement such preaching with contrivances 
simply intended to catch the attention of uninterested 
outsiders, we open the door to any amount of sensation- 
alism. It is true that those who are induced to attend 
church by such appliances may be struck with an arrow 
of divine truth, and may become useful members of the 
church.” 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 


49 


Is not this a result which we have a right to expect 
from the use of the methods which you choose to term 
^sensational?’ ” asked Elder Domore. 

do not believe that the church has any right to 
resort to illegitimate means to accomplish what may seem 
to be legitimate ends. The church has not only the duty 
of filling up its ranks to perform, but also the very 
important work of caring for those already in active 
service. The great aim of a pastor should not be so 
much to fill up the pews as to care for those already in 
them. A church may be regarded in the light of a 
hospital or an asylum. It is a place for the spiritual 
treatment of moral disease. It is the duty of the physi- 
cian to give his attention to the cure of disease within 
the wards, not to distract it with eflPorts to entice patients 
to enter for treatment. If he is attentive and skillful in 
the treatment of those under his care, he may rest assured 
that such a course will oflTer the greatest possible induce- 
ment for others to enter. So in the church. If a min- 
ister is constantly aiming by sensational contrivances 
to attract those from without, he must of necessity 
be neglecting the spiritual care of those within. If he 
attends faithfully to those already under his care, preach- 
ing the gospel in all its purity, he has a right to expect, if 
he has any belief in the truth of the word of God, that his 
labors will result, by these legitimate means, in the in- 
5 


50 


I^EV. MR. DASIIWELL, 


crease of his church membership. Now we all know that 
Dr. Woodbridge is thus faithful. We have a right to 
expect that the church will thrive in the future as in 
the past, under his care. It does seem that it would be a 
great mistake for us to appoint a colleague simply because 
he may be more able than our present pastor to attract by 
an oratorical display, or by any other means than the 
preaching of the simple truth.” 

‘‘ Do you not, then, think it would be an advantage to 
have our church well filled ?” asked Elder Pinch. 

‘‘ If crowded by those who come simply to hear sound 
gosf)el truth it would be an advantage; if by those 
attracted by sensational claptrap, it would be a misfor- 
tune. Those drawn by the last method must be constantly 
amused by the same means or they would cease to come. 
This process would be distasteful to those who have been 
accustomed to Dr. Woodbridge’s style of preaching, and 
the result would be dissatisfaction among those who have 
long supported the church. These would gradually with- 
draw to churches more congenial, and our own would 
finally be filled, if filled at all, by those who are attracted 
by the sensational style. It is a question for us to con- 
sider which class would be the most desirable in our 
church.” 

Elder Domore, during the last remarks of Elder Went- 
worth, rose nervously, seated himself by the side of Brother 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 51 

Pinch and whispered earnestly in his ear. Elder Enoch, 
sitting next the pair, could not avoid overhearing a com- 
ment upon the “ old fogyism of some people.” He con- 
jectured that the arguments of the chairman had not been 
convincing to Elder Domore. 

At the conclusion of Elder Wentworth’s remarks. 
Brother Domore arose once more. He said that he 
presumed that by this time the brethren had all decided 
as to how they should vote upon the question under dis- 
cussion. He therefore called for an immediate vote upon 
the resolution. 

The vote was taken, and the five upon whom Elder 
Domore had counted before entering the room, voted in 
the affirmative. 

Elders Domore and Pinch were appointed a committee 
to wait upon the Eev. James Dashwell and request his 
consent to supply the pulpit for the space of one year. 
The amount of compensation he should receive for such 
service was also agreed upon. 

Upon motion of Elder Domore and by a vote of the 
five, it was decided that the new minister should take up 
his abode at the parsonage, and that Dr. Woodbridge, in 
consideration of his relief from pulpit service, should be 
requested to furnish him with board and lodging, his own 
salary remaining undiminished in the meantime. 

Elder Domore congratulated himself as he walked home- 


52 


REV, MR, DASIIWELL, 


ward, upon his providential foresight in pledging his men 
before he allowed them to enter the lecture-room and 
come within the influence of Elder Wentworth. The 
thought grated rather unpleasantly upon his mind that 
the well-laid plans of the Rev. Mr. Dashwell and him- 
self might have miscarried if he had neglected to do so. 


CHAPTER V. 


D:r. iasl]toeU Jirriks an^I talus |ossfSsifln. 

It was on a Sunday morning near the end of June that 
the Eev. James Dashwell entered the Presbyterian Church 
to preach his first sermon as stated supply. The seats 
were already filled ; for it was known that the new 
minister was to officiate, A ripple passed over the heads 
of the congregation when his graceful form appeared at 
the open door, followed him as he walked deliberately 
down the broad aisle, and seemed to dash gently at the 
foot of the pulpit stairs as he ascended them, and took his 
seat in one of the high-backed chairs which was visible to 
the entire assemblage. The eyes of old and young were 
upon him as, in apparent unconsciousness of their presence, 
he sank back in the soft cushion, leaned his head slightly 
forward, and brought his finger tips in contact with his 
closed eyelids, while his elbow rested upon the massive 
arm of the chair. The sun glistened through the blinds 
upon his head of carefully arranged hair, sent rays of 
light sparkling from the diamond ring which was almost 
hidden by his sweeping mustache, lighted up the large 
monogram adorning his snowy cuff, and rested compla- 
cently upon the delicate white necktie, which seemed to 
diffuse an aroma of sanctity over mustache, monogram and 
5 * ( 53 ) 


54 


MR. DASH WELL, 


diamond ring. For the appropriate length of time he 
maintained his devotional attitude, and engaged in silent 
meditation. He thought of the present critical point in 
his life-experience as he was about to launch his clerical 
skiff upon an untried sea. The day which was to be the 
culmination of toilsome years of preparation had arrived 
at last. He was stepping upon the first round of a ladder, 
at the top of which he saw popularity, fame, and com- 
petency. He peeped through the chinks of his fingers at 
the audience before him. He judged it to be intelligent, 
respectable, and capable of appreciating talent such as he 
undoubtedly possessed, a congregation which any young 
man might feel proud to use as a stepping-stone to a 
larger and wealthier. Fie closed the chink of his fingers, 
and a vision flitted before his darkened eyes. Fie saw a 
large church in a great city. Its gorgeously upholstered 
pews were crowded with the rich and the beautiful clothed 
in velvets and satins. Their eyes were riveted upon the 
pulpit and its eloquent preacher. The dim light falling 
through the arches from stained windows, rested in crim- 
son and purple and gold upon the desk and its occupant, 
who was no other than the Rev. James Dashwell, D.D., 
even then a young man. The beatific view so entranced 
the young clergyman that for the moment he became 
oblivious of his present self and the congregation before 
him. “ That the vision may become a blessed reality, may 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 55 

the Lord grant, Amen,^’ prayed he, and removed his finger- 
tips from their resting-place. 

With the glory from the land of Beulah, where he had 
so lately been, still beaming upon his countenance, he 
arose, advanced to the desk, and stretched out one open 
palm toward the congregation as if about to ask a favor of 
them. With silvery tones he tripped through the words 
of the Lord’s Prayer. It was quickly and neatly done. 
Before old Dr. Woodbridge would have reached ‘‘our 
daily bread,” the new minister was intoning the “ forever, 
Amen.” 

Misses Pinch and Abel were two young ladies of the 
congregation, about eighteen or twenty years of age, 
daughters of the respective elders whose names they bore. 
Belonging to families of prominence, they were influential 
in their circle, and to a certain extent dictated in matters 
of taste. When they decided that any particular person 
or thing should be liked or disliked, a respectable follow- 
ing of the young of both sexes was likely to coincide. In 
their capacity then as standing committee upon criticism, 
it became their duty early to determine whether the new 
clergyman should be admired and petted by their set, or 
only treated with cool politeness. Their sympathies, it 
must be confessed, had been strongly in favor of Dr. 
AVoodbridge, and therefore somewhat antagonistic to the 
interests of the new occupant of the pulpit. With judi- 


56 


J^£F. MR, DASHWELL, 


cial impartiality, however, they resolved not to condemn 
the recent candidate for their favor without a hearing. 
They had accordingly taken seats together in the pew of 
Elder Pinch in order conveniently to compare notes. 
Their heads were bent reverently forward upcfh the back 
of the pew in front, while their cheeks were almost in 
contact as the minister repeated the Lord’s Prayer. That 
prayer produced upon the young ladies the effect pro- 
bably desired by Mr. Dashwell. At its conclusion, even 
before their heads were raised from their devotional pos- 
ture, Miss Pinch whispered in the ear of her neighbor: 

‘‘ Wasn’t it splendid T 

‘‘ Elegant,” replied Miss Abel. 

It may be a matter of opinion as to what the young 
ladies had reference by their enthusiastic exclamations 
‘‘splendid” and “elegant.” It could hardly have been 
the sentiment of the prayer which excited their admira- 
tion, for they had heard it repeated from infancy. Had 
it been the young clergyman himself. Miss Pinch would 
possibly have used the masculine pronoun instead of the 
neuter. It was probably the easy address, the fascinating 
manner, and the dulcet tones of the minister which so 
promptly excited the raptures of the fair critics. Be this 
as it may, it is certain that he had thus early in his career 
captivated and made his willing allies a most important 
element in every congregation. 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 5J 

But it was upon the sermon that he relied for success in 
ingratiating himself with the more substantial portion of 
his audience. He had selected this with a wise reference 
to such of their peculiarities as he had learned from his 
friend Domore. It was one of his seminary productions, 
which had been listened to and criticised by the grave 
professors there. He had therefore no fears as to its strict 
orthodoxy, and he complacently believed that it contained 
as much logic and learning as could be properly digested 
by his Hampton audience. That he could deliver it with 
effect he felt assured ; for he was well aware that he was 
a thorough elocutionist. With the entire self-possession 
therefore to which his self-appreciation entitled him, he 
entered upon his task. And now that he has fairly 
launched out, and is swept on the tide of oratory from one 
end of the platform to the other, displaying his classical 
figure on either side of the desk with strict impartiality, 
an opportunity may be afforded to learn a little more of 
his history than is yet known. 

The father of Kev. James Dash well was a brewer, who 
had acquired a considerable property by his business. He 
had a large family of children, and it was his ambition so 
to educate them that they should take a position in the 
social scale somewhat higher than that which he himself 
had occupied, especially in early life. With this end in 
view, he had given his three older sons a thorough clas- 


58 


REV, MR, DASHWELL, 


sical education, and had destined each for one of the 
learned professions. The oldest had selected the legal, the 
second the medical, and to the third, James, was left the 
clerical. In some respects old Mr. Dashwell thought that 
James was especially fitted for the ministry. He was 
naturally polite and amiable, a handsome boy, and his 
efforts upon the rostrum at the public school showed that 
he was a good declaimer. These qualifications, together 
with the fact that the old^r brothers were entitled, by 
their age, to the first choice, the old man thought, suffi- 
ciently justified him in imposing the ministry upon James. 

The son, in . this as in other matters, accepted the wish 
of his father as law. He had no especial love for his 
chosen calling, and no particular dislike. He viewed the 
matter of choosing his profession somewhat as a business 
transaction. He had heard, to be sure, of a special call 
of the Divine Spirit to the work of the ministry, and he 
knew that the rigid Presbyterian discipline would demand 
of him an answer to the question whether in his heart he 
fjlt that he had received such a call. He promptly an- 
swered in the affirmative. A filial regard for the wish of 
his father, and the fact that Providence had assigned to 
himself by the circumstances of birth the third choice, 
seemed to allot to him the ministerial work. He thought 
it therefore a call of duty to submit to circumstances over 
which he had no control. It being such, he felt justified 


THE NEW MINIS TEE AT HAMPTON 59 

in considering it a call of the Divine Spirit in so far, he 
thought, as that Being took any interest in the matter at 
all. He had a secret conviction, it is true, that Providence 
or chance had rather favored his older brothers in giving 
them the first choice ; but with a firm reliance upon his 
own powders he hoped even yet not to be far behind them 
in the race for fame and position, if not wealth. The old- 
fashioned idea of self-sacrifice formed no element in 
James’s special call to the ministry. The thought of 
w^ork in a missionary field he smiled at, as quite appro- 
priate for a class of enthusiasts whom he could not fairly 
comprehend, but one entirely incompatible with his prac- 
tical turn of mind. 

Such were the considerations wdiich induced James 
Dashwell to -become a minister. He entered the Presby- 
terian Theological Seminary. He w^ould perhaps have 
preferred a church of rather more liberal view^s than the 
Presbyterian; but of this his father, and as a matter of 
course he himself, was a member. 

Here Providence^ once more seemed to indicate that he 
should gracefully submit to the rigid tei^ts and discipline 
of a faith which he privately regarded as somewhat anti- 
quated. When examined as to his theological belief, 
James glibly recited the Westminster Confession o? Faith. 
When he quietly questioned his own convictions as to 
wdiat he really believed, he was obliged to confess that he 


60 


REV, MR, DASIIVVELL, 


did not know. He had early been taught to believe in a 
literal interpretation of the Scriptures. In the seminary 
he had read enough of Spencer, Huxley, and Darwin to 
unsettle his old-time confidence. Once having given up 
this faith, he found it exceedingly difficult to establish 
another. In his perplexity he quieted his easy conscience 
by a compromise. If, upon more mature deliberation, he 
should accept the Bible as inspired and literally true, 
what nobler position than his own as a champion of Chris- 
tianity! If he should finally be convinced by Mill and 
Spencer, he could do an honorable work as an essayist, 
and an advocate of a general system of morality founded 
upon a wonderful though uninspired collection of maximi 
and theological fables. 

With such a modernized system of theology for his own 
private use and guidance, no wonder that the Rev. Mr. 
Dashwell regarded the idea of waiting for the operation 
of the Spirit with little favor. He believed rather in the 
spirit of an ambitious, energetic young man to push for- 
ward in church work and fill up pews and coffers by 
all the devices which could be resorted to for accomplish- 
ing this end. Spiritual prosperity he regarded as some- 
what mythical, while temporal and financial success he 
considered a blessing earnestly to be sought, and, if 
necessary, devoutly to be prayed for. Like Paul, he 
approved of both faith and works j but it was faith in the 
works. 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 61 

Such were the sentiments of the Eev. James Dash well, 
when through the kind offices of his friend Domore he had 
succeeded in introducing himself in the pulpit of the Pres- 
byterian church of Plampton. The zeal of Elder Domore 
can be explained by the fact that he was a fellow-towns- 
man of the old Mr. Dashwell, and had been indebted to 
him for certain financial favors, and he well knew that 
any kindness he could show the son would be duly appre- 
ciated by the father. 

Mr. Dashwell finished his discourse, pronounced an easy 
and polite benediction in striking contrast with the fiery 
declamation of his sermon, and descended from the pulpit. 
Many were the compliments and congratulations which he 
received. He met them all with such a grateful smile 
and apparently modest diffidence that the bestower seemed 
even more flattered than the recipient. Elder Pinch was 
waiting at his pew-door, as the minister, amid hand-shak- 
ings and introductions, was slowly working his way toward 
him. Miss Pinch, whose egress had been blocked by her 
father, nudged his^elbow as Mr. Dashwell approached. 

Mr. Dashwell,” said Elder Pinch, “ this is my daugh- 
ter, and her friend. Miss Abel.” 

The promptness, cordiality and grace with which the 
young pulpit orator extended his hand quite captivated 
the young ladies. 

‘‘We thought we would like to tell you how much we 
6 


62 


REV. MR, DASHWELL, 


were delighted with your sermon this morning/’ said Miss 
Pinch, her lively features overspread with just enough of 
a blush to make them even more attractive than usual. ' 
am most happy to hear it. I am sure all the pains 
I have taken in preparing it have been amply compen- 
sated by the remark you have made. I shall try to merit 
such a compliment again,” said the clergyman, with a neat 
little bow. 

Isn’t he nice ?” said Miss Pinch to Miss Abel when he 
was out of hearing. This time she used the masculine 
pronoun instead of the neuter. 

‘‘ Lovely,” said the enthusiastic Miss Abel. 

At last the stated supply had passed through the crowd 
of his newly-made admirers, passed out of the door,^and 
taking the arm of Elder Domore was walking down the 
street. When beyond the hearing of the last straggler 
from his congregation he said : 

“ Domore, how did it go ?” 

‘‘ First rate,” said the elder. From what I overheard 
I think the congregation were well pleased, unless perhaps 
some of the particular friends of the old doctor were not 
satisfied, who never will be pleased with anything.” 

‘^Domore, that Miss Pinch is a sprightly girl. From 
what she said, I conclude that she kept awake through tho 
sermon. Old Pinch is quite a^preminent man in this 
community, you say?” 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 63 

“ Yes, lie is one of our wealthiest citizens,” replied the 
elder. 

And a useful man in the church ?” said the minister, 
interrogatively ; he did not care to give even his friend 
Domore tlie impression that he felt particularly interested 
in the financial condition of the old gentleman simply as 
the father of Miss Pinch. 

“Oh, yes; a useful man enough, I suppose,” said Elder 
Domore, twirling his cane carelessly round and round > 
“ but he’s a little too close in money matters.” 

“Not very benevolent, then, perhaps?” said the min- 
ister. 

“ Not very, I rather think,” said Elder Domore, with a 
yawn, as if he thought the question of not much interest 
either to the minister or himself. 

“How many children has* the old man?” asked Mr. 
Dash well. 

“ Only one daughter,” replied the elder, as if now his 
friend was reaching the point. 

“ Has sons, I suppose ?” said the divine. 

“Miss Pinch is his^mly child,” was the answer. 

Mr. Dash well was silent, and seemed buried in thought, 
as if contemplating the lonely condition of Elder Pinch. 
Once more he asked : 

“ How old is Elder Pinch ?” 

“ I think he is over sixty,” said Domore^. 


/ 


64 REV. MR. DASHWELL. 

Again the young clergyman was as quiet as if engaged 
in an abstruse mathematical calculation. Suddenly he 
dropped the arm of his friend, with the remark : 

' Well, good-by, Domore. I suppose I may as well get 
initiated at the parsonage first as last.’’ 


CHAPTEE VI 


®0m auJr pabd. 

Three months had passed since Eev. Mr. Dashwell 
commenced his ministerial work at Hampton. The first 
days of October were at hand. Mabel had been spending 
the afternoon of one of them at Judge Wentworth’s with 
her friend Carrie. Tom was just finishing his summer 
vacation at home before entering upon his senior year at 
Yale college. Mabel had finished her visit and was 
starting for home. Tom was promptly on hand as her 
escort. They had passed down the walk together and 
were entering the street, when Tom asked: 

Mabel, you have not yet seen the new monument in 
the cemetery, old Mr. King’s, the finest erected yet?” 

Mabel replied that she had not. ^ 

‘‘ Won’t you walk out there with me and see it? There 
is plenty of time before sunset. The cemetery .never 
looked better than n^w.” 

Mabel consented. They strolled leisurely down the 
street and along the avenue leading to Cemetery Hill. 
They entered the shady walks of the cemetery and took 
the path which led them by many windings to the summit. 
The view from the highest point was beautiful. The sun 

( 65 ) 


6 * 


MR. DASHWELL, 


66 

was nearing the horizon, and the clouds were taking on 
the colors which promised all the glory of an October 
sunset.- The dense mass of foliage which, without ob- 
structing the view from the top, surrounded the sides and 
base of the hill, and then stretched away until it radiated 
through the streets and embowered the houses of the 
village, was just putting on its autumn coloring. Green 
was still predominant; but crimson and yellow and all the 
various hues which a combination of these colors can pro- 
duce, made a gorgeous spectacle. Far away to the east 
and west stretched the blue waters of Long Island Sound, 
while beyond them on the north was the still bluer rim on 
the horizon which marked the Connecticut shore. Mabel 
and Tom rested themselves, after their w^alk, upon one 
of the rustic seats from which there was an unobstructed 
view of the panorama stretched out before them. 

Tom had been industriously undermining a tuft of grass 
wdth the point of his cane, when he suddenly looked up, 
and said: 

‘‘ Mabel, I go back to college to-morrow and he turned 
his eyes toward two little points of elevation far off in the 
east on the opposite shore, which were the East and West 
Rocks near New Haven. 

Tom, I think I can be trusted to remember that, for I 
have been helping Carrie pack your trunk this afternoon,’' 
said Mabel. 


THE NEW MINISTER AT IIAMFl ON 


67 


Tom, with some energy, commenced digging a little pit 
with the end of his cane, where he had removed the grass, 
as if forming a small grave for something which seemed to 
burden his mind. He stopped, however, and appeared to 
conclude rather to unburden it to his companion. 

‘‘ I have been thinking, Mabel,^’ said he, how con- 
temptible it will be if the session of the church should 
appoint that mountebank Dashwell a successor or even a 
colleague of your father.’’ 

Oh, Tom,” said Mabel, with real surprise at the sudden 
outbreak, ‘Svhat a name to give to the minister! I have 
never heard you apply such an epithet to him before, and 
it is not right ; you know he is our minister.” 

“ I know he is for a little while, at any rate, and because 
he is a minister he ought to conduct himself differently. 
Do you know, Mabel, he was at the club house last night 
playing billiards, only for amusement of course ; he did not 
put up any very heavy stakes, you may be sure.” 

‘‘Did he play well, Tom?” asked Mabel with a mis- 
chievous smile. 

‘'Play well! why, I could beat him three out of four 
any day, without half trying. But you ought to have 
seen him dodging around the table and squinting his eyes 
to get the range ; it was too comical ; he looked as if he 
was about to pronounce the benediction.” 

" Kow then, Tom, I am sure that’s wicked. You’ve no 
right to talk so about the minister.” 


68 


REV. MR. DASIIWELLy 


Then he went into the gymnasium/’ continued Tom, 
and swung from the cross-bar like a sick monkey ; talked 
with the boys about hunting and fishing, as if he was an 
old backwoodsman. I’ll venture ho couldn’t hit a squirrel 
tied to a stump at six paces, even if he had a shot-gun 
which scattered badly.” 

‘‘ Tom, do you take the morning or afternoon train 
to-morrow?” asked Mabel. 

‘‘ The morning. There were some members of the regi- 
ment at the club house, and Mr. Dashwell seemed to be 
very much interested in military matters. He talked as 
if he really knew the difference between a bayonet and a 
breech-loader. Finally he spoke of the custom some of 
the city ministers had of preaching a special discourse 
once or twice a year to the military, and I believe it was 
determined that the regiment should, before long, attend 
the morning service in our church in full dress, and listen 
to a sermon especially for their benefit. Then he got 
talking about his trotting horse, and seemed to think 
that he could beat any piece of horseflesh on the Hampton 
course.” 

‘‘ He is a splendid horse,” said Mabel. “ Mr. Dashwell 
has given me several drives with him. But, Tom, I am 
beginning to think you are getting a little jealous of the 
minister. You should not criticise too much, for you 
know that you are to be a minister yourself one of these 
days.” 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 


69 


Not that kind of a minister, I hope. You did not 
know, Mabel, that I had partly concluded to study the 
law r 

Mabel looked up with a little surprise, for she had never 
heard of any such intention. She did not conclude from 
Tom’s expression that he had made any very positive 
determination to change his plans for the future; she 
answered : 

No, Tom, I never heard that you had given up the 
idea of being a minister. How long is it since you came 
to that conclusion ?” 

‘‘Well, perhaps about two minutes in all. But now, 
seriously, Mabel, when I see such a good man as your 
father, and such a good preacher, too, as every one knows 
that he is, one who has spent his whole life here, and only 
received that which will support him from year to year, 
when I see him in danger of being set aside by a younger 
man, and a stranger, whose only recommendation is that 
he can create a sensation by means which your father 
would not condescend to use, I sometimes feel that there 
is no encouragement to enter the ministry.” 

“ When you speak of my father, Tom, you know that I 
feel deeply all that is meant by what you say. I cannot 
bear to think of my dear old father being turned out of 
the church and parsonage yet awhile. I had hoped that 
it would be a long time before that evil should come upon 


70 


J^£F, MR, DASIIVVELL, 


us, if it should come at all before his death. But perhaps 
the tastes of people have altered since father commenced 
preaching, and you know that many new-comers from the 
city have joined the church who think possibly that they 
would like a modern style of preaching than father’s,” 
said Mabel, speaking these last words sadly against her 
own feelings, and using such unconvincing arguments as 
her father had devised in attempting to console both her 
and himself. 

You can never convince me that it is right to set 
aside your father for any such reasons as you give, even if 
you really believed it yourself, Mabel, which I very well 
know you do not. - But to allow him to be superseded by a 
mere sensationalist, who intends to fill up the church bv 
a s^ 01 contrivances to catch public attention, got^ up 
for that and for no other purpose, is an insult to your 
father and to every sincere and intelligent church member. 
Why does not Mr. Dash well every Sunday introduce a 
monkey and a hand-organ in front of the pulpit? That 
'would draw a crowd on the same principle as would other 
cont:wance3 which he uses; but what kind of a crowd 
would it be ! I7ot those who would come to get any good, 
or who would be likely to get any good from such preach- 
ing as would naturally accompany such methods of creating 
a commotion.” 

‘^Tom, I am afraid I am doing wrong in listening to 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 71 

sucli remarks about Mr. Dash well. You know that he is 
at present a guest at our home, and whether I may admire 
his style of preaching or not, I must acknowledge that 
personally he is a gentleman. His conduct toward me has 
always been kind and considerate.’’ 

All unconsciously Mabel had caused a painful vibration 
in a. most sensitive chord of Tom’s emotional organism 
Almost without acknowledging it to himself, he disliked 
exceedingly that she should think well personally of the 
young minister. He was hardly aware of the reason why, 
and probably would not have admitted that the unknown 
reason w^as the cause of the ebullition against Mr. Dash- 
well in Mabel’s presence. There was silence for a few 
moments, while Tom vigorously resumed work upon the 
little grave with the steel tip of his cane. At last he said : 

Of course you have noticed that all the young ladies 
in the church are in love with Mr. Dashwell ?” 

‘‘Well, present company excepted, who in the church is 
better entitled to such consideration ? Still I was not 
before aware of t^e fact. Do you think that Carrie 
particularly admires him?” asked' Mabel, with a roguish 
smile. 

“ How many pairs of slippers on an average does Miss 
Pinch send the minister in a weekf ’ asked Tom. 

“ Mr. Dashwell has never volunteered to inform me, and 
I have not considered it proper to make the inquiry. Per- 


72 


REV, MR. DASIIWELL, 


haps I might venture if you particularly wish to know/" 
said Mabel, in a slightly bantering tone, which grated 
more harshly on Tom’s feelings than she imagined. 

‘‘ No, thank you ; when I really become anxious to 
know I can ask Miss Pinch myself,” said Tom, with an 
attempt at jocularity which he felt was rather a dis- 
astrous failure. 

‘‘ Tom, I am really afraid you will break that cane,” 
said Mabel ; for Tom having finished his miniature grave 
was punching the bottom of it with such energy as to 
curve his rattan like^ a strongly-bent bow. 

He desisted from his work^ played a tattoo for a few 
moments on the toe of his boot with the stick, then sud- 
denly turning toward Mabel, asked, with a husky voice 
and an earnestness which quite surprised her: 

Mabel, may I ask you one question ?” 

“ Certainly you may,” she said. 

Do you like Mr. Dashwell ?” 

Tom either had not the courage, or felt that he had not 
the right to ask, Do you love Mr. Dashwell?” but this 
was really the question to which he hoped to obtain an 
answer. 

The crimson spread over Mabel’s cheeks in an instant. 
She hesitated a moment, and answered : 

‘‘I have such feelings of respect and regard for Mr. 
Dashwell, and only such, as I have been taught we should 
always entertain toward our minister.” 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 73 

Tom was eucou raged, but not satisfied. 

“ May I ask you one question more T he said, earnestly. 
“ Will you ever entertain for Mr. Dash well any more 
tender feelings than those you have just described? I 
can now claim no right to ask you this question ; but will 
you not answer it, Mabel? You know what I mean.’' 

The crimson had left Mabel’s cheeks, and an unusual 
pallor had taken its place. There was a tremulousness in 
her voice as she said : 

I answer just as frankly as you have asked ; Tom, I 
never will.” 

‘‘ Are you sure, and will you promise me ?” said Tom, 
quickly, and with excitement. 

“lam sure, and I will promise you,” said Mabel. 

They rose simultaneously, and walked side by side down 
the winding path which they had lately ascended. For a 
time neither uttered a word ; but suddenly to each had 
been made a revelation which neither bad fairly com- 
prehended before, A spark of jealousy in Tom’s breast 
had unexpectedly tp both ignited a flame all the elements 
of which had been slumbering for years before in their 
hearts, unknown and unnoticed by either. The sun just 
sinking in the west threw a tinge of gold on Cemetery 
Hill, on the harbor, the Sound, and the distant Few 
England shore; at the same moment the two felt that a 
new world of golden thought, which before they had 
7 


74 


J?£V. MR. DASHWELL, 


hardly dreamed of, was rising upon them, and as the 
darkness of evening crept over the quiet village of 
Hampton, they knew that a morning light was spread- 
ing over their young hearts. 

They had left the cemetery, and were in the avenue 
leading to the village, when Tom said : 

“Mabel, 1 have finally concluded to study for the 
ministry/^ 

“ I knew you would, Tom.” 

‘‘ Besides, I think I must take back most that I have 
been saying about Mr. Dashwell. I suppose the man 
means well enough, and perhaps the methods of accom.- 
plishing his ends seem all right to him.” 

“ Don’t retract too much, Tom, for I more than half 
agreed with you. And I find that your motives in criti- 
cising the minister are so satisfactory and flattering to 
myself, that I concluded to forgive you for the other 
half.” 

They had reached the parsonage gate. 

When younger, Tom and Mabel had availed themselves 
of the privilege accorded to their fraternal relations, and 
always indulged in a brotherly and sisterly kiss at part- 
ing. For a few years past this friendly custom had for 
some unexplained reason fallen into disuse. On the 
present occasion, as they were parting at the door in 
the encouraging shade of the twilight and the piazza, 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 75 

Tom renewed the ancient habit. As he was turning to 
leave, a thought seemed to strike him. 

“ By the way, Mabel, I altogether forgot old Mr. King’s 
monument.’’ 

did I, entirely.” 


CHAPTER VII. 


D:r. 

Two or three months had passed away, the holidays 
were at hand, and a thick mantle of snow was spread 
over the village of Hampton and the hills and plains 
round about, Mr. DashwelFs seminary chum, Joe, or 
more properly the Rev. Joseph Newman, was making 
him a visit at the parsonage. The Rev. Joe had preached 
with great acceptance a New Year’s sermon on Sunday, 
and on the following day in the afternoon the two friends 
were off for a sleighride in Mr. Hashwell’s handsome cutter, 
drawn by his still handsomer horse. It was the first time 
that the pair had felt entirely alone together, and ready 
for one of their old-time confidential talks without danger 
of interruption, since they had separated at the seminary. 
The fragrant cigars they were pufiing, the bracing air, the 
crisp snow, unaffected by the cheerful rays of the sun far 
in the south, the music of the bells and the spirited horse 
combined to exhilarate the two, and they felt inclined to 
converse with their accustomed jocularity and freedom of 
expression. 

‘‘ Joe, you haven’t had a decent call yet, I understood 
you to say,” said Mr. Dash well. 

( 76 ) 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 


77 


“ Not yet, Jim. One or two one-horse country churches 
would have given me a chance, I suppose, if I had felt 
inclined to take it; but that sort .of thing don’t pay, you 
know. I am beginning to think the ministry is somewhat 
overcrowded. I feel a little sorry that I didn’t take to law 
or medicine two or three years ago. Either would have 
been almost as respectable, and would have paid better ; 
but I suppose its too late now. I tell you what, old 
fellow, I think you were lucky in getting in a nest so 
well feathered, and so early, too, as you have done. Just 
take my advice and stick to it, at least until you are sure 
of a warmer one.” 

"'Yes, I agree with you. Wasn’t it a shrewd dodge, 
now, on Domore’s part, in introducing me so early to the 
old dominie, and getting him to invite me to preach before 
anything was suspected? In fact the whole thing was 
nicely managed throughout, and Domore deserves credit 
for it,” and the Rev. Mr. Dashwell could not resist 
giving an exultant snap of the whip he held in his hand. 
‘^Whoa! hold up, Joe;” for his horse had given a jump 
at the uncalled-for stimulation of the snapper. It should 
be mentioned that the minister had christened his horse 
‘‘Joe,” as a token of his appreciation of his old chum 
of the seminary and present companion of the ride. 
“Domore was a good friend, and is yet. I tell you 
there’s nothing like having a skillful manager at the 
7 ^ 


78 


REV. MR. BASHIVELL, 


primaries, one who can circulate among the crowd and 
report at headquarters.” 

‘‘ You thought at the seminary that you would have a 
pretty tough session to manipulate. How do you get 
along with them?” 

Well, Domore manages them tolerably well. One of 
^them, though, I suspect would give me trouble if he 
could — old Wentworth, Judge Wentworth they call him. 
His old skin holds the concentrated essence of Knox’s and 
Calvin’s system of theology combined and simmered down. 
I tried to impress the old man at first; but I found he 
wouldn’t impress worth a cent. I expect to have trouble 
with him sure when it comes to the question of a perma- 
nent call. Pinch is a pretty good sort of an old fellow, 
but a stingy customer. Still, that very thing works in 
my favor ; he thinks if I can draw a crowd it will lower 
the average of the pew-rent, and that is about all he cares 
for. Abel and Enoch are rather close-mouthed ; I hardly 
know how they would vote w^hen the question is reached. 
The rest of the session will vote as they see the majority 
voting; but I think I shall carry the day, and I intend to 
hang on unless I am sure of doing better at the end of 
the year;” 

How do you get along with the old dominie, Jim?” 

“Well, I feel rather sorry for the old man. He don’t 
ray much, and I never push forward any views which he 


THE NEW MTNIS7ER AT HAMPTON 


79 - 


might not think strictly orthodox. In fact I am pretty 
careful in this respect all around, and rather knuckle for 
the present to the ancient regime so far as orthodoxy is 
concerned. I don’t feel quite secure enough to launch out 
yet. To tell the truth, I hang on to the old Confession of 
Faith, both because it is politic and because I haven’t got 
a better one planned out yet ; but I think it rasps the old 
doctor a little when I attempt splurge in the pulpit. 
He doesn’t say much; but he dislikes a ‘sensation,’ as 
they call it here. He sometimes asks me, in such a quiet 
sort of -a way that I excuse the old fellow, ‘ what I expect 
to do when my novel methods of stirring up a crowd cease 
to be a novelty.’ I answer that then I’ll get up some- 
thing else. I tell you, Joe, that at the pre^nt <^ay a 
minister must draw a crojvd, legiti mat ely if po^s^le, but 
a cr owd at a^y r^e.” 

“ Yes, I suppose so,” said Joe, with a yawn ; “ but then 
what is a poor chap like me to do who has no chance to 
draw a crowd?” he continued, as he thought of his own 
uncalled-for state. “ I tell you, Jim, a man waiting for a 
respectable charge feels very like one who has just popped 
the important question and is anticipating his answer; 
and by the way, that reminds me — how are you getting 
along with the girls? I saw some very tolerable ones in 
the pews yesterday from the pulpit. Of course I couldn’t 
make a very critical inspection at the time ; but I thought 


80 


I^EV, MR, DASHVVELL, 


a number of them were quite passable. What a pity now 
that Mabel, as you call her, is out of the question ; for I 
suppose of course the old dominie don’t hold many United 
States bonds. You didn’t overstate the matter when you 
gave me her portrait. I don’t know but your case will be 
hopeless, old boy, at the end of another six months, and 
that you will succumb, cash or no cash,” said the Eev. 
Joe, with an inquiring glance at the Rev. Jim. 

‘'To be sure I cannot tell what might happen in the 
next six months; but I rather think that I shall hold the 
fort yet a while. The young lady is all that could be 
desired in other respects, very possibly ; but in the present 
state of ministers’ salaries the thing is out of the ques- 
tion and Mr. Dashwell drew the handsome lap robe a 
little higher, and tucked it in more closely around him, as 
if to shield himself from further temptations and fascina- 
tions. 

“ Of course the coast is clear and all that, if you should 
really wish, you know?” and the Rev. Mr. Newman 
turned with another look of inquiry to his companion. 

“ Well, now, Joe, I have sometimes felt that I would 
like to have your views upon that question. I confess I 
can hardly make out the case myself. Mabel, as we all 
call her at the parsonage, is frank, unassuming, never 
attempts to put on any airs, always good-natured, polite 
and sociable, and appears to be all right so far as I am 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 


81 


concerned; but this appears to be her habit with every one 
she meets. You know such girls are just the ones you 
can never understand, any way. Now, there is a young 
fellow, old Wentworth’s son, in college just at present, 
who I should judge from some little things I have seen, is 
trying to play the agreeable to Mabel, and I should 
imagine might have the inside track if I haven’t it my- 
self. I declare the subject has sometimes kept me awake 
at night ; for in a race of this kind no one likes to come 
out second best even if he means nothing by it in the end, 
you know,” said Rev. Mr. Dash well. 

Of course not,” said Rev. Mr. Newman. ‘‘ Now, 
chum, let me give you a little advice. Do be careful and 
don’t get tripped so early in your ministry in an affair of 
this sort. Move carefully. Don’t show your own hand 
until you are sure of your partner’s, if you really wish to 
win the game. Still, Jim, I rather think after all that 
you would come out all right if you set about it in 
earnest. I always considered your abilities in that direc- 
tion good. I remember, at all events, that in our sociables 
at the ^semi’ I never stood any chance with the girls when 
you were around, even though I w^as arrayed in white 
kids and a claw-hammer. I hardly think that now an 
unsophisticated, conscientious country girl will be likely 
to get the best of such an old veteran as yourself; so don’t 
be down-hearted, my boy.” 


82 


/?EV. MR. DASHWELL, 


Excuse me, Joe, from getting up to make a bow ; my 
horse is a little hard on the bit ; but I am sure you under- 
rate your own excellencies, and give me more credit for 
mine than I deserve. Still I do believe I shall be able to 
take care of myself in affairs of an amatory nature in 
general, and think I can in this one in particular. Per- 
haps I am giving the subject more serious thought than it 
demands. You may be sure if the game is worth the 
powder and shot I shall be sure of my aim before starting 
it from cover.” 

“ Undoubtedly ; and I suppose an old sportsman like 
yourself will not confine himself to a single trail. There 
must be other presentable girls in your congregation 
besides the minister’s daughter,” and the Eev. Mr. New- 
man took a fresh cigar and engaged himself in lighting it 
from the stump of the old one. “ How about (puff!) tliat 
Miss Pinch (puff!) you mentioned yesterday?” and his 
new weed being ablaze he threw away the stump of the 
old one, and turned toward his' friend for an answer. 

‘‘Well, Joe, possibly I may give you the pleasure of an 
introduction to that young lady this evening; for a com- 
mittee are to be in my study to disscuss certain church 
affairs, and she probably will be one of the number,” said 
Mr. Dash well. “I consider your taste excellent in mat- 
ters of that sort, and I would really like to get your views 
upon the individual in question. So please take notes, 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 83 

and give me results of your observations at the close of the 
interview/’ 

“All right; Miss Pinch is the daughter of the old elder 
you have spoken so often about, I suppose?” said Mr. 
Newman. 

“Yes; an only child.” 

“Why, is it possible?” said Joe, taking a sudden interest 
in the matter ; “ and you say the old man is rich ?” 

“Yes; one of the wealthiest in the congregation.” 

“Possible! why, Jim, isn’t there a fair chance? What 
is the age of the old gentleman ?” 

“ In the neighborhood of seventy, I should think,” said 
Mr. Dashwell. 

“Tough? In good health, I mean?” asked Eev. Mr, 
Newman. 

“ He appears to be a strong, wiry man,” said Eev. Mr. 
Dashwell, with rather a solemn shake of the head. “ To 
all appearances might be spared to his family for ten or 
fifteen years yet, unless some unexpected providence should 
occur to remove hiip earlier.” 

“Yes, I suppose so; usually the case under such circum- 
stances.” From the solemnity with which Mr. Newman 
offered this remark, it can be presumed that he may have 
meant that a sudden removal might be expected rather 
than an extended life. The language itself left the 
meaning somewhat ambiguous. “ Well, Jim,” said he. 


84 


J^EV. MR, DASHWELL, 


“ I hardly know what advice I can give you in such a 
case as that; ten or fifteen years is a long time. Still 
there are a great many probabilities to be taken into 
account, it is true. You would need all the statistics of a 
life insurance company before you could arrive at a definite 
conclusion. But what kind of a girl is Miss Pinch, any 
way ? The matter of taste must enter somewhat into the 
calculation, of course; but first of all I suppose you have 
learned that the coast is clear, or can be cleared, and that 
there can be no doubt of your success if you should choose 
to sail in.’^ 

‘‘Now, Joe,” said Jim, with a slightly injured expres- 
sion of countenance and tone of voice, “ I can assure you, 
even if I say it myself, that there need be no apprehension 
on that score. I tell you, I can walk over the track and 
win the day, too easily in fact to keep up a proper interest 
in the race. To tell the truth, Miss Pinch is no match 
for the minister’s daughter except in a financial point of 
view. In this respect of course she is A No. 1. Good- 
looking, good-natured, sociable, and all* that; but lacks 
the dignity of the other one, and in fact is a little too 
easily caught.” 

“Well, Jim, I must say, my boy, that you are a lucky 
dog, and that truly your lines have fallen to you in pleas- 
ant places ; but I will see what I think of the matter this 
evening.” 


THE NEW M/NISTER AT HAMPTON 85 

With such discourse did the two young divines add to 
the pleasures of the ride. They returned to the parson- 
age, and the evening found them sitting in the parlor 
before the cheerful fire, when the bell rang, and two young 
ladies, clothed in wrappers and furs, entered the house. 

Mr. Dashwell met them with great cordiality in the 
hall, and said, as he ushered them into the presence of his 
friend : 

“Brother Newman, allow me to introduce to you. two 
young ladies of our congregation. Miss Pinch and Miss 
Abel.^’ 

Rev. Mr. Newman, with such ministerial dignity as he 
could make compatible with his curiosity to see a possible 
future Mrs. Dashwell, made a profound bow. The young 
ladies made an appropriate response. 

“We believe in organized effort, and with this purpose 
in view these young ladies are cooperating with myself in 
the formation of certain societies and associations in the 
church, bringing together those of similar age, taste, and 
inclination, for combined action in different directions, as 
Providence may seem to direct the way. Please remain 
with us; and if you will assist us by your counsel and 
advice, we shall be most happy to receive it.’’ 

“ Anything which concerns the welfare of your church 
you may be sure cannot fail to interest me. Brother Dash- 
well,” said Rev. Mr. Newman ; “ though I am afraid my 
8 


8G 


REV. MR. DASHWELLy 


advice may not be of much service. Believe me, how- 
ever, I shall listen with pleasure to the history of your 
plans and as he turned his grave face toward the un^^us- 
pecting Miss Pinch, thoughts like these passed through his 
ministerial mind : “ Tolerably fair girl, anyhow ; a little 
verdant perhaps, but passable; would improve with proper 
training. If financial matters are as Joe thinks, he’s a 
great fool if he doesn’t close matters as soon as possible.” 

‘‘Now, young ladies,” said their minister, “I shall be 
compelled to rely very much upon your aid in devising 
and forming the different organizations we contemplate. 
Let me first ask you >vhat has already been accomplished 
in this direction.” 

“ Well, Mr. Dashwell, I must say that to-night we can 
only report progress; as yet we have but just started. 
AVhen we are thoroughly organized and in active work, 
we intend to accomplish a great deal. At present we may 
say that we have only the skeletons of different organiza- 
tions planned. We expect soon to bring in members, and 
commence work at once.” 

“ To be sure ; all things must have a beginning. Allow 
me to inquire the names and the particular objects of your 
different associations,” said Mr. Dashwell. 

“ Well, before yoit became our minister you know we 
had the Ladies’ Sewing-Circle. The object of this was to 
provide clothing for the poor,” said Miss Pinch. 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 87 

"‘Yes, I knew of that,” said Mr. Dash well. “The 
Young Men’s Christian Association is also one of the old 
organizations of the church, I believe.” 

“Yes,” said Miss Pinch, with a slight blush; “but you 
know the young gentlemen, not the young ladies, control 
that body.” 

“ Oh, certainly, I forgot,” said Mr. Dashwell ; “ I beg 
pardon. But perhaps I am not so far in the wrong, after 
all. The young gentlemen control the organization, and 
the young ladies control the young gentlemen,” and the 
minister made a graceful bow to his fair parishioners. 

“ The young ladies of this church don’t flatter them- 
selves that they possess the authority you seem to ascribe 
to them,” said Miss Pinch, with a smile of secret satisfac- 
tion.' 

“They underrate their abilities, I am sure; don’t you 
think so. Brother Newman ?” asked Mr. Dashwell. 

“Judging simply from my present opportunities of 
observation, I should think they may be doing so,” said 
Mr, Newman. . (; 

“ We have just organized a new association,” said Miss 
Pinch, returning to the subject; “we call it the Young 

Ladies’ Pastor’s Helpers’ Society.” 

“ Certainly a most useful organization,” said the min- 
ister. “The reference is to Mr. Wood bridge as pastor, I 
suppose.” 


88 


KEV. MR. DASIIWELLy 


‘‘ I believe the object of the association was to furnish 
assistance to the present occupant of the pulpit in any 
way they may be able, or he may advise. Was not that 
your impression, Jenny?” said Miss Pinch to her com- 
panion. 

‘‘ That certainly was the intention of the founders of the 
Society,” said Miss Abel. 

‘‘May I ask the number of members?” said the minister. 

“ At present we have only three, the first, second, and 
third directress,” said Miss Pinch. “ Having our officers 
and rules and regulations determined upon, we have now 
only to fill up our ranks and commence work.” 

“ Certainly, certainly ; the Society will grow as time 
proceeds,” said Mr. Dash well. 

“ Then there is the Young Ladies^ Board for Organized 
Effort,” continued Miss Pinch. 

“ And its object ?” said the minister. 

‘"This is left somewhat indefinite,” said Miss Pinch. 
“ Their efforts will be directed in accordance with the 
wishes of the majority.” 

“ V ery commendable. Its officers and members ?” 

“We have a first and second directress, but as yet no 
other members. The roll is now open.” 

“ Ah, indeed !” 

“Next is the Young Ladies’ and Misses’ United Organi- 
zation. The object the same as the last.” 


7 HE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 


89 


‘‘ And its officers and members?’^ asked Mr. DashwelL 
A first and second directress as yet ; we hope soon to 
have members.’’ 

“ Undoubtedly,” said the minister. 

‘‘ Finally, we have the Infant Organization for Competi- 
tive Effort,” said Miss Pinch, slightly blushing as she 
made the announcement. 

‘‘ Indeed ! Infant means that the organization is yet in 
its infancy, I presume,” said Mr. Dash well. 

“ The design of the association is to raise funds for the 
church by an exhibition of infants who may compete for 
prizes to be awarded for superior beauty,” said Miss 
Pinch, the crimson spreading to the tips of her ears. 

‘‘ Ah, I understand ; Mr. Barnuni originated the idea, I 
believe. It is a most excellent one ; I can think of none 
better, unless the young ladies of the church should enter 
into a similar friendly contest; but I am sure, young 
ladies, that when all the organizations you have so 
kindly planned are in successful operation, our church 
must be a prosperous one;” and Mr. Dashwell shrewdly 
directed the conversation into other channels, so that his 
friend Joe might have a wider field for the exercise of his 
powers of criticism. 

'‘Well, Joe,” said Mr. Dashwell, after the ladies had 
left the parsonage, " what is the verdict ?” 

" Jim,” said Rev. Mr. Newman, " an affair of this sort is 
8 * 


90 


REV. MR. DASHWELL. 


so much a matter of taste I hardly know what advice to 
give. I must say, as a disinterested witness and a friend, 
that I cannot consider the old elder’s daughter a rival of 
the old minister’s, personally. You must judge, however, 
for yourself, old boy. It is the old question, ‘Love venxm 
gold.’” 

A troubled look spread itself over the countenance of 
Eev. Mr. Dashwell. He studied the huruing coals in the 
grate for a few moments in silence, then turned to his old 
chum, and said : 

“ Joe, I give you credit for sincerity, and I thank you 
just as much as if you had brought in a verdict, not 
guilty.’” 


CHAPTER VIII. 


|0i aiiji Pr. |as|totll 

The particular occasion of Joe’s visit to Hampton 
during the holiday season was an urgent request of Mr. 
Dash well to come on at that time to eat a few doughnuts 
and see the girls.” The congregation of the First Presby- 
terian Church were then about to revive in all of its 
ancient glory the “ donation visit” to their old pastor. 
This they did both because many of the friends of Dr. 
Woodbridge felt that it might be the last opportunity 
they would have to show their love and respect for their 
aged pastor in this primitive way which they thought 
former associations might make particularly acceptable to 
him, and because they thought some substantial return • 
should be made for the burden imposed upon him in the 
entertainment of the new minister as a guest for so long 
a period of time. Even the radical new-comers joined 
readily in the efLu’t to make the affair a complete success; 
for, though they regarded such festivities as a relic of the 
past, so also did they regard Dr. Woodbridge himself, and 
they assumed that with the commencement of a new era 
under Mr. Dash well, both antiquated donation parties 
and antiquated pastors would be snuffed out of existence 
together. Mr. Dashwell thought tjie occasion would fur- 

■■ ( 91 ) 


92 


A^EV. ME. DASHWELL, 


nish a most excellent opportunity for introducing members 
of his congregation to his friend Joe. He did not, how- 
ever, intend that his friend should simply gratify an idle 
curiosity in responding to his invitation. Mr. Dashwell 
had a high estimation of Joe’s talents as a critic in matters 
pertaining to the fair sex, and he seriously determined that 
such talents should not remain unemployed, but that they 
should be made useful to himself in settling certain matri- 
monial questions now beginning to weigh somewhat heavily 
upon his mind. 

Mr. Dashwell’s rather ultra views with reference to fill- 
ing the pews and to church extension in general have 
already been explained. These he was acting upon with 
as much energy as he thought prudent to exercise in his 
ancient and conservative church, thereby accomplishing 
the double object of upbuilding the walls of Zion and a 
reputation for himself simultaneously. But it must not 
be supposed that his ambition was limited to simple 
church development. He had certain other schemes, the 
accomplishment of which would tend simply and solely to 
his own personal aggrandizement. These schemes he did 
not see fit to make public, but confided them only to his 
friend Joe. Their aim was the accomplishment of a satis- 
factory and profitable matrimonial alliance for himself. 
Mr, Dashwell had been pleased and even a little surprised 
to find that his ministerial talents were opening to him the 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON, 93 

avenues to the hearts of the fair ones in the congregation 
^vith a facility he never could have aspired to simply as 
the son of a plain, well-to-do brewer. He accepted the fact 
as one of the divine blessings attached to his sacred calling, 
and he fully determined that the gifts of Providence in this 
direction should neither be neglected nor misimproved by 
himself. The only question of debate in his mind, and 
upon which he desired the friendly counsel and comfort 
of Joe was this — how far he should be influenced by mere 
personal attractions, and how far by pecuniary considera- 
tions in making his final choice. To delicately adjust the 
scales he felt would require the greatest amount of good 
sense, fine taste, and exquisite skill which the combined 
talents of Joe and himself could bring to bear upon the 
subject. Already one-half of the year of probation in his 
church had passed away, and during that time he had so 
skillfully controlled his somewhat wayward affections that 
they were vibrating between only two from the entire list 
of charmers by whom he was surrounded. These two were 
Mabel Woodbridge and Maria Pinch. A thorough inves- 
tigation of the various recesses and cavities of his heart 
obliged him to confess that for personal charms Mabel was 
without a rival, although financially she was not a. success. 
In this last particular she could not for a moment bear 
comparison with Maria Pinch. It was a serious question 
in the mind of the young divine whether it might not be 


94 


J^EV, MR. DA SI/ WELL, 


%ing in the face of a kind Providence to reject the for- 
tune so temptingly held out to him in the gold of Elder 
Pinch, and whether he might not be doing an injustice to 
his own gray hairs and declining years to yield to the 
mere impulse of youth and succumb to the charms of the 
penniless Mabel. As he tossed upon his couch in the night- 
watches thinking of the meagre salary attached to his call- 
ing, and of what a comfort and support Maria Pinch with 
her substantial charms could afford to him as she walked 
by his side even down to old age, she became the guardian 
angel who brought gentle slumber to weary and selfish eye- 
lids. When he arose in the morning and met the radiant 
face of Mabel Woodbridge beaming in the sunlight, he felt 
ashamed of the cowardice of the hours of darkness, and 
wondered how evil could venture near him with such a 
lovely being ever by his side. 

Lest, however, in such a delicate matter as an attempt 
to describe an affair of the heart an unintentional injustice 
might be done by a prosaic narrative like the present, it 
may be best to offer simply such information as may be 
gleaned from a faithful rehearsal of the colloquies of the 
two young divines upon the subject. * They were together 
in Mr. DashwelPs study on the evening of the donation 
festival as the visitors were already assembling in the 
parlors below. They were about descending to join the 
throng, and were putting the last finishing touches upon 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON, 05 

tliclr elaborate toilets, at the moment being engaged in 
the rather exciting and difficult task of crowding well- 
developed fingers into an encasement of kid skin appar- 
ently too small for their accommodation. 

Joe,’’ said Mr. DashWell, ‘‘I want to say a word before 
we go. You know the girls will be out in full feather 
to-night, and, as dancing will not be allowed, the only 
amusement will be church gossip and flirtation. Now 
as you have no particular plans in view for yourself, just 
take notes for me. Keep your eyes and ears open, and 
give me your ideas once more upon the Pinch and Mabel 
question. See if you cannot modify your verdict of last 
night somewhat. I confess it made me feel a little down 
in the mouth. Joe, I tell you the ways of Providence are 
inscrutable in never combining a handsome fortune with a 
really handsome and desirable girl ; but come, its time to 
go down.” 

It forms no part of the plan of the present narrative to 
describe minutely the donation visit to Dr. Woodbridge, 
the substantial evidence which was given of the estimation 
in which the old pastor and his daughter were still held l.y 
the entire congregation, the kind expressions of love and 
affection which were showered upon them from the sincere 
lips and hearts of parishioners who crowded the parsonage 
from near and far, coming even from distant farm-houses, 
and mansions to express their respect for their former 
minister. 


90 


J^EV MR, EASIIWELL, 


It was after the hour of midnight, the guests had 
departed, the rooms of the parsonage were once more 
deserted and silent, and the two friends were again in Mr. 
Dashwell’s study ready to compare notes taken during the 
evening. Joe was sitting in frolit of the cheerful fire in 
the grate with his chair tilted backward, and his heels 
resting on the mantel above, puffing a cigar. Mr. Dash- 
well was extended upon a lounge, smoking a long pipe. 

Jim,” said the Kev. Mr. Newman, ‘‘I must say that 
the girls in your congregation are too partial in the 
bestow^al of their favors, and too marked in their atten- 
tions to certain individuals. Why, positively, they seemed 
not to remember that there w^as any one in existence 
excepting yourself; and you will excuse me for saying that 
they swarmed around you like flies around a lump of 
sugar. They seemed to entirely forget that you had a 
guest present. I think Paul himself would have suc- 
cumbed to such attentions as you received, and although 
his bodily presence was said to have been contemptible 
would have become a little vain and self-conceited and 
forgettul of his old chums who might not have been so 
highly favored ; so I suppose it is no wonder that you” — 
“Joe, see here now,” said Mr. Dashw^ell, interrupting 
his friend, “when you get nicely settled and begin to draw 
a little crowd, you’ll know how it is yourself. I tell you, 
if a young minister only appears well in the pulpit the 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 97 

girls are the first to be impressed, and they will crowd 
around him and stick to him, too, as you have illustrated 
by the parable of the flies and the sugar. It simply 
shows the great importance of raising a breeze at the very 
commencement of your ministry; the girls like it, and if 
you only succeed in pleasing them you needn^t mind the 
old fossils, like Judge Wentworth, for instance. Let me 
give you a Jittle advice before you enter upon your work ; 
carry the girls with you, and their papas jind mammas as 
well as their cousins and their aunts will follow.’^ 

"‘It is all very well, Jim, to talk of success in the 
pulpit, but in the present instance I rather think a few 
other considerations have their weight with the Hampton 
girls,’’ said Joe, turning and making a critical survey of 
the proportions of his friend extended upon the lounge; 
“ that manly form, that intellectiral physiognomy, those 
tender eyes, that handsome mustache, those long and 
graceful” — 

“ There, Joe, now please hold up and let me down 
gently. I am sorry that I provoke a little jealousy, but I 
can’t help it. It was always so at the Sem when we 
came home from evening entertainments. But you under- 
rate your own abilities, my boy ; I know you do. The 
girls are in love with you. I’ve no doubt, only they don’t 
like to say so before you ask them; that’s all. It requires 
a little tact in managing them, and that is a natural gift; 


9 


98 


REV, MR, DASHWELL, 


but you’ll improve in time, I am sure. But now, Joe, 
let’s talk business. Give me your candid opinion on the 
Pinch-Mabel question from your careful observation this 
evening. How about the two rivals ?” 

“ Well, Jim, I am somewhat in the habit of speaking 
the truth to you, and I must say that you do injustice to 
Mabel Woodbridge in even mentioning Miss Pinch as a 
rival personally. Still, Jim, what is personal beauty, 
alter all? All the girls we met this evening will be 
leather-skinned crones in fifteen years from now, or in 
twenty-five at the outside. Beauty is sure to fade; but 
stocks will accumulate if you manage them properly. 
Now, if you want my advice, it is this. Bemember that 
you are to be, in the natural order of events, a ministerial 
pauper for life, destined to live on a salary just nicely 
adjusted so as to prevent soul and body from parting 
company ; just this, and nothing more. After your con- 
gregation have made use of you about as long as you are 
more available than some other person, until you have 
reached the age of the old doctor here, perhaps, then they 
will begin to want to fire you out, and, if you are like the 
majority, you will be bounced in spite of yourself. You 
will be expected to live for the remaii^def of your life upon 
the east wind, faith, hope and charity ; and the greatest 
of these will probably be the charity of your friends, if 
you chance to have any left, which may be somewhat 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 


99 


doubtful. Now, I believe a wise Providence has foreseen 
this evil, and made provision for it. How ? It has given 
to us young ministers — I don’t mean myself now particu- 
larly, but you — it has given to some of us the faculty of 
pleasing the girls. It is one of the talents particularly 
bestowed upon the ministerial profession. The girls take 
to clergymen as to a superior and immaculate race of 
beings. Of course they are mistaken; but so long as 
they think so, it is all the same. Now, what does this 
fact indicate? Why, it seems to me that we clerical 
paupers should avail ourselves of the chance afforded, 
and cut out for ourselves a fortune if we can, to be our 
stay and comfort in our declining years. If we are 
sometimes obliged to take with the fortune a living in- 
cumbrance, why, that is one of the acts of self-denial 
which our profession imposes upon us. Now, if you want 
some plain advice from a sincere friend, it is just this: 
don’t go and throw yourself away by taking the old 
minister’s daughter, however acceptable she may be in 
other respects, but take a fortune and a passable, present- 
able girl in the person of Miss Pinch.” 

“Joe,” said Mr. Dashwell, knocking the ashes from his 
pipe, “you are a philosopher and a brick. You have 
about expressed my own sober sentiments when I am in 
my right mind. I thank you for your good advice ; and 
now this subject is disposed of, let’s drop it, and talk of 


100 


MR, DASHWELL, 


something else. Did you see a long-bearded, gray-headed 
old codger talking with me considerably this evening T 

“I noticed him, and that you seemed delighted with his 
company — over here,” said Joe, tapping his left shoulder. 

“Didn’t I, though! but I couldn’t shake him off without 
shaking one of the pillars of the church upon which I rest 
for support. That man was old Enoch — Elder Enoch, a 
member of the session, about as ancient as his Bible name- 
sake, and like him should have been translated long ago. i 
Do'more told me that the old fel ow has lately been ques- 
tioning him as to my doctrinal views. He does not seem 
to be able to gather from my sermons whether I am 
orthodox or not. So to-night he got at me on that subject, 
and didn’t he pump me dry I I havn’t doctrines enough 
left in me to hold over till morning. But I stood it well, 

I tell you, Joe, and came out of. the furnace right side up 
wdth care, and with not a smell of fire upon the hem of 
my garments.” 

“ What did he say, Jim ?” 

“Well, he commenced at the beginning and talked 
about the seven days of creation and Eve eating the for- 
bidden fruit. I was posted, and knew what the old fellow 
W'anted. I told him that the serpent and the apple were 
genuine; that most cominentators were agreed that the 
sna^ was probably of the bop^eonstrictor species, from his 
winding so gracefully around the apple-tree, and not at all 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. IQl 

poisonous, as he did Eve no harm, excepting from his baxl 
advice_ as to the apple. I told him that the apple was 
probably one of the earlier varieties of.fruit, as the tempta- 
tion of Eve was e^ly in the sea^n ; that therefore many 
of our Sunday-school picture books are in error when they 
represent Eve as presenting Adam with a magnificent 
fall pippin. He seemed to admire my exposition, and 
swallowed it entire, snake, apple, Ev^and all.’’ 

“ Good for you, Jim ; you are quite a theologian.” 

“ Then he came down through Moses and the prophets 
and apostles generally, until he had raked over the entire 
subject, election, the eternal decrees, and so on, winding 
up finally with infant damnation. He wanted to know 
whether the little creatures would be saved or lost.” 

“ What did you tell him, Jim ?” 

“Well, at first I was about to say that I was not the 
father of a family, and that therefore I felt hardly quali- 
fied to decide, not having given the subject a critical 
investigation, as I might have done if I felt personally 
more interested, for really I had forgotten orthodox teach- 
ing on the subject. But I thought it would hardly do, 
after all, to own up ignorance, so I made a rough guess, 
and I knew from the way the old fellow’s eyes sparkled 
that I had hit the mark.” 

“ How did you decide the question, Jim?” 

“ Why, I knew the toughest view was most likely to be 




102 


REV. MR. DASHWELL, 


orthodox, and so I told him that commentators were 
agreed that unbaptized unre^enerate babies were g oners — • 
not in those words exactly, Joe, but that was the gist of 
it — and I was right, wasn’t I T 

“ Jim, as 1 told you at the Sem, you must cram on 
the doctrines, or you certainly will get flo ored in such an 
old-sclmol synagogue as t his one. You were wrong. Babies 
are all right, as you ought to have known from your 
catechism. You’ve made a great fizzle, and the elder 
has a kink upon you which he may yet use to your disad- 
vantage, if he chooses. Perhaps the knowledge of this 
fact was what made his old eyes sparkle.” 

Mr. Dash well’s face assumed the crest-fallen look it used 
to wear in college days just after a decided failure, or in 
classic vernacular, ‘‘ a flunk,” in the recitation room. 

‘‘ Joe,” said he, ‘‘ I will consult my infant primer in the 
morning upon this subject. It is so many years since I 
have been personally interested in the matter that really 
I have forgotten what the best authorities do say upon the 
question. If it should happen that your views are correct — 
remember that I don’t admit that they are as yet — then I 
will send old Enoch a note of apology, saying that I had 
the Ethiopian heathen upon my mind when I gave such 
an unfavorable prognosis, and not innocent children. It is 
really of importance to have the matter adjusted, for the 
question will very likely come up again when Miss Pinch’s 


THE AEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 103 

‘ Infun t Organization for Competitive Effort^ — there’s rich- 
ness for you, Joe— gets up its first baby show in the 
church/’ 

With the discussion of such intricate matrimonial and 
theological questions the hours passed away almost unno- 
ticed, until the first gray streaks of light in the east 
reminded the two friends that it was high time to “ crawl 
in,” and they acted accordingly. 


CHAPTER IX. 


C|iirc| Ijr0ug|t in wntnct toif| % Mflrlir. 

It was one of the Rev. Mr. DashwelFs pet theories that 
the church should be brought in contact with the world, that 
the world might thereby be made better. He considered 
it rather an antiquated idea that the church should expect 
the world to come to itself. He believed in going out into 
the highways and hedges of modern times and coaxing if 
not compelling loiterers to come in, that the church pews 
might be filled. He was accordingly acting in entire con- 
sistency with his proposed methods of evangelization when 
he, as a representative of the church, made himself quite 
at home in hotel-corridors, clubs, gyranasiunjs, and sport- 
ing circles generally, the modern hedges and highways, 
according to his interpretation of the Scriptures. 

Just out of Hampton was a race-course, where, at the in- 
vitation of certain members of the jockey-club, his friends, 
he would go with his trotter and avail himself of the privi- 
leges of the track by taking a few turns as a test of speed. 
He was always welcomed with great enthusiasm by the 
habitues of the track. They were much pleased that an 
aroma of sanctity should thus be diff^ed over a pl^e 
which some of the pastors of Hampton churches did not 
. ( 104 ) 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 105 

hesitate to assert was odorous with the fu mes of sulphur 
direct from the pit, Mr. Dash well believed, however, that 
the command to abjure '‘the world, the flesh, and the 
devil” could have no application to the full-blooded horse- 
flesh of the present day ; while the Satanic Majesty, as 
represented on the Hampton course, was so exceedingly 
respectful and polite to himself, as personifying the church, 
that he doubted the identity of that being with the devil of 
ancient times. So cordial indeed was his reception by the 
sporting fraternity that he began to speculate somewhat 
upon an addition to the number of pew-holders from the 
ranks of his new admirers and friends. 

It was in fulfillment of such a self-imposed mission to 
the Gentiles, that one breezy April afternoon he was 
found, as often he had lately been, behind his spirited 
horse in his two-wheeled sulky raising the dust on the 
Hampton course. He had made several turns, and reined 
up for a breathing-spell in front of the grand stand. There 
were collected a number of the loungers of the place, and 
others who like himself had been drawn out to the course 
to train their horses by trials of speed, as was the custom 
on almost every pleasant afternoon. Among the rest was 
a noted jockey, Sam McBride by name. His reputation 
for honesty and fair-dealing was none of the best. He was 
one of those who depended for his daily bread upon his skill 
in extracting money from the pockets of others less shrewd 


106 REV. MR. DASHWELL, 

than himself who came within his reach. All who ven- 
tured upon the course he considered his legitimate prey, 
and from each one he expected to derive a certain quota 
for his own support. Whether this came in the form of 
medical fees in return for veterinary skill, of bets lost by 
his opponent and won by himself, of gifts direct, or in any 
other way, was immaterial to Sam so long as his claims 
were recognized and duly honored in the end. If they 
were not so in due time, Sam would become restive and 
hostile, and then, woe to the individual who was the object 
of his animosity! ill luck was sure to overtake him in some 
form or other. So thoroughly was this fact established that 
it seemed one of the well-known, unwritten rules of the 
track to be sure and keep on the right side of Sam the 
jockey. 

As Mr. Dashwell had now been quite frequently seen 
upon the track, Sam began to feel that the revenue due to 
himself might naturally soon be expected from the min- 
ister. With this thought upon his mind he approached 
the young divine, who had reined up in front of the grand 
stand with a face glowing with the exhilaration of his ride 
aud wearing a smile of satisfaction at the esteem in which 
both he and his handsome horse seemed to be held. 

‘‘Parson,” said Sam, “you have a fine nag there. What 
is the fastest time he has ever made ?” 

“ About two-thirty,” said Mr. Dashwell. 


THE NEW MINISTER AT NAME TON. 


107 


^^Good time; capital,” said Sam. “Now, I have a horse 
that has made about that time. I would like to give you a 
brush.” 

“All right; I’m ready,” good-naturedly said Mr. Dash- 
well, pleased with the request; for although he knew but 
little of Sam or his character, yet he argued within him- 
self that just in proportion that he, a representative of the 
church, meeting the horse-jockeys on their own ground, 
should gain their respect by the superior speed of his 
horseflesh, in that proportion would the church itself 
become respected and honored through him. 

Although he now felt quite at home upon the track, yet 
he had never before made the circuit in a contest with a 
competitor. A little of the old nervous feeling which used 
to make his heart beat quickly as he was about to enter 
upon a prize declamation in college came over him now; 
but he trusted to his native talent and ingenuity to carry 
him through where his inexperience gave his antagonist 
the advantage. 

The trial was to consist of two circuits of the half-mile 
course, one mile in all. Judges were selected, and Mr. 
Dashwell in his light sulky behind his sleek bay, his legs 
firmly braced, a rein gathered up in either hand, in a 
scientific style even in the eye of an experienced jockey, 
was ready for the start. Sam was promptly by his side 
in a four-wheeled skeleton wagon drawn by a powerful 


108 


MR. DASHWELL, 


black horse. How he had an eye to business, and how 
he proposed an ultimate pecuniary advantage to himself 
by the present friendly contest, is yet to appear. The 
idea of a match between the popular young minister and 
the veteran jockey and sinner Sam, was, however, a novel 
one; and the report of it spread rapidly, and speedily 
attracted a crowd. 

At the first start the heads of the two horses as they 
passed the judges’ stand were so nearly even that the word 
“Go!” was given; and away they went. For the first 
quarter it would seem that neither had the advantage. 
Mr. Dashwell had the inside track. He braced himself 
firmly to his work, not using the whip, but trusting to a 
steady rein and an encouraging chirrup to get from his 
horse his utmost" speed without a break. Sam, on the con- 
trary, shouted wildly and used his whip freely. At the 
end of the first quarter on the opposite side of the course 
Mr. Dashwell began to take the lead. The crowd watch- 
ing the race were becoming excited. 

“The parson’s ahead! the parson’s ahead!” was the 
shout; “Sam had better hurry up, or he will come in 
second best.” Bets of two to one were offered on the 
parson, and no takers. “Now Sam gains a little!” was 
the cry, and a few bets were taken. 

They passed the stand on the first circuit with both 
horses apparently doing their best. Mr. Dashwell’s hand- 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 109 


some face was flushed with excitement; he held a tight and 
steady rein, leaning far forward, while his light linen duster 
stood straight 'out behind from his clerical shoulders, look- 
ing, as some in the crowd were irreverent enough to say, 
not unlike a pair of wings. He had the inside track, and 
was hugging it closely. Sam was shouting, apparently in 
great excitement, but as they passed the stand the nose of 
his black horse was hardly even with the end of the min- 
ister’s light duster. The crowd became wild with excite- 
ment, and yelled, ‘‘ Hurrah for the parson ! three to one 
on the parson!” As they passed the third quarter there 
was quite a length between the wheels of Mr. Dashwell’s 
SLilkly and the head of Sam’s horse, and when they passed 
the stand on the home stretch at least two lengths inter- 
vened. 

They pulled up, turned, and drove slowly back to the 
judges’ stand. It was a new' experience for Mr. Dashwell, 
and his cheeks showed how fully he appreciated the excite- 
ment and gratification of success. Sam professed to be 
quite down-hearted and disconcerted with his defeat. 
There w^ere those in the crowd, however, who were ac- 
quainted thoroughly with his tactics, who said : 

“ Sam did not let his horse out, while the minister did his 
very best. Sam is laying for the parson, see if he isn’t.” 

“Dominie,” said Sam, drawing up by Mr. Dashwell’s 
side, “ that bay of yours is a stunner ; he’s faster than I 


lO 


110 


I^EV. MR. DASH WELL, 


thought. Still, I would like to try that over again, though 
I expect you will beat me.’’ 

“ All right ; I’ll give you another chance "as soon as my 
horse has had time to blow a little,” said Mr. Dashwell, 
who felt that the increased respect in which he was held 
since his victory had already added new dignity to the 
church which he represented. 

‘AVell, parson, now suppose, just to make it a little more 
lively, we put up a hundred or so this time? I don’t like 
to trouble you for nothing, parson ; so I will bet you a 
hundred dollars on the next race, though I suppose, judg- 
ing from the last, I shall lose it,” said Sam, with a lugu- 
brious look. 

Here was a new phase in Mr. Dash well’s worldly expe- 
rience which he had not foreseen, and for which he was 
hardly prepared. He began to perceive that the advance 
of the church toward the world must cease at some point, 
and that the nearer the approach the more difficult might 
become the halt when such should be necessary. He saw 
that such a point had been reached in his own experience, 
and that any further advance or concession on his own part 
must be summarily checked. Even if no higher motives 
had influenced him, a thought of the grim-visaged session 
of the First Presbyterian Church would have decided his 
course. It was no easy task now, in the midst of his 
honors and successes among his new worshipers, to crush 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. HI 

his popularity at a single blow. It was to be done, never- 
theless. 

“ Sam,’’ said he, “ I will give you another trial if you 
like, but without stakes ; I don’t bet.” 

‘‘Don’t bet! Why, now what’s the harm?” said Sam, 
with a much more dissatisfied expression than even his 
defeat had produced. His somewhat blunted moral per- 
ception did not comprehend the nice distinctions so evident 
to the mind of the minister. 

“Because I never do; I consider it wrong,” said Mr. 
Dashwell, with more of an efiTort than he had supposed it 
would require to make such a declaration, while his coun- 
tenance lost the look of enjoyment it had so lately worn. 

“ But, parson, now what is there wrong in putting up a 
little money ? It only adds to the excitement, you know,” 
said Sam, who really believed that the minister’s unwilling- 
ness arose from a suspicion of his own tactics and from a 
fear of loss. 

“It is a game of chance, and for this reason it is 
wrong,” said the minister, blushing slightly and feeling 
decidedly uncomfortable ; for he saw from the expression 
of his listeners that their sympathies were not with him- 
self. 

“ Whew-w-w!” whistled Sam, “a game of chance! Why, 
parson, don’t you know that they have games of chance at 
church fairs to raise money for good Christian people like 


112 


J^£V. MR, DASHWELL, 


yourself/’ he said ; for, like many of Satan’s emissaries, he 
was more minutely acquainted with the weak places in 
Zion’s walls than would have been anticipated from his 
lack of education in other respects. ‘‘Its only two weeks 
since my little girl, Moll, lost a dollar raffling for a doll 
at a church fair. I told her she’d lose it before she put it 
up, because there’s no show for outsiders at such places ; 
they keep it all among their own set; and sure enough, the 
minister’s daughter won the doll. Now, parson, what’s 
the difference between a game of chance in a church and 
on a race-course?” and with a look of anger not unmixed 
with contempt, Sam turned and drove away to his cronies 
without waiting for an answer to his puzzling question, 
lie felt himself poorer to the extent of a hundred dollars 
which he had hoped to extract from the minister’s purse, 
and he immediately began to plan some way of getting 
“ square” with the parson for his assumed loss. He had 
no sympathy for conscientious scruples which he could not 
understand, and but little fiiith in their sincerity. He 
alighted from his wagon, and circulated among his friends. 

“That parson is a good man, a very good man/’ said he, 
with a vicious wink; “but he don’t bet; he says its prin- 
ciple; but I call it paralysis, paralysis here,” and Sam 
slapped his own rather attenuated pocket-book. 

It was several days before Mr. Dashwell felt entirely 
comfortable in renewing his visit to the course. It hap- 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON, 113 


pened that when he did so, Sam was also there, at this 
time appearing slightly intoxicated. That individual 
had meditated much over the parson’s scruples against 
betting, and the more he did so the more dissatisfied he 
became. He convinced himself by certain arguments of 
his own, that if the minister visited the course as a guest 
he should conform to the established rules and customs of 
the track, betting not excepted. 

Sam was ready to admit that the race-course naturally 
belonged to the kingdom of Satan, and such being the 
case, those who were unwilling to acknowledge his Satanic 
Majesty had no right to frequent the place. He did not 
believe in the propriety of coquetting with the devil so 
long as it might be entirely agreeable to do so, and then 
suddenly lifting up the heel against him in his own do- 
minions. He thought, therefore, as Mr. Dash well could 
afford no pecuniary advantage to the rightful patrons of a 
race-course by his presence there, a becoming sense of 
propriety should induce him to keep away altogether from 
a place he could not conscientiously support. Accordingly 
Sam resolved, upon the first convenient opportunity, to 
impress this conviction of his own, upon the mind of the 
sporting clergyman. The method used to accomplish this 
end will now be explained. 

‘‘Hello, parson!” said Sara, as he met Mr. Dashwell; 
“ ready for another brush to-day ?” 

10 * 


114 


RE V MR. DASHWELL, 


Heady for a trial of speed at any time, but without 
stakes,” said the minister. 

‘‘ All right ; without stakes,” said Sam, with a malicious 
grill upon his flushed face. 

Again were the preliminaries for the trial arranged, Mr. 
Dashwell good-naturedly consenting to the arrangement 
rather to show his cordial feeling toward Sam than for 
any interest in a new contest. ' The start was made, and 
Sam, with his powerful horse and strong wagon, closely 
hugged the light sulky of the minister, who this time had 
the outside track. Mr. Dashwell held a steady rein as 
usual, while Sam shouted and slashed his horse, steering 
wildly, and at times crowding his competitor to the very 
outside of the course. 

Sam is too drunk to drive to-day ; he’ll be under the 
wheels unless he is more careful,” said one of his friends. 

“ He’s not so drunk as he seems ; he knows what he is 
about,” said another one of his more intimate cronies. 

The two kept side by side on the first circuit, and passed 
the stand almost abreast. Indeed, Sam’s aim seemed at 
first to be only to keep even with the minister. On the 
second circuit he seemed to be driving more wildly than 
ever, crowding Mr. Dashwell to the outside limit of the 
track. On his last quarter he gave his horse a sudden cut 
with his whip, reeling in his seat as he did so. An unu- 
sual pressure was brought upon the rein next Mr. Dash- 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 115 


well’s, his heavy hub was brought in contact with the 
light wheel of the sulky, there was the sound of snapping 
spokes, and in an instant, as Sam afterward expressed it, 
the handsome minister went flying through the air like an 
angel without wings. He landed upon the dry and hard- 
ened turf, was taken up insensible, and borne by the em- 
ployes of the track through the streets of Hampton to the 
parsonage. 


CHAPTER X. 


The Rev. Mr. Dash well saw just before him the grand 
stand not a hundred yards distant as he was making the 
home stretch on the last quarter. He heard just behind 
him the shouts and the cracking of the wdiip of Sam Mc- 
Bride the jockey. A few seconds more, and if his horse 
held out as well as he was then doing, the race would be 
his own. Now the nose of Sam’s horse is close by his side, 
now it is even with his dash-board, a resounding yell and a 
crack of the whip and it is even with the collar of his own 
animal; another crack, and Sam’s red and excited face is 
by his side, and his w^heels are spinning around almost in 
contact with his own. Fifty yards more, thought Mr. 
Dashwell, and even yet all will be well. He saw the 
eager faces of the spectators just ahead, he heard the yells 
of Sam almost in his ear. Suddenly the faces of the specta- 
tors seemed like the moving sea, they numbered thousands 
of thousands ; the grand stand itself was no longer station- 
ary, but was making a revolution in the kir; faces and 
building were stangely commingled, and flying in all 
directions. His ears were filled with yells and shouts and 
cracks of whips innumerable. Hundreds and hundreds of 
( 116 ) 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 117 


faces of Sam were flying before his eyes as if on cherubs’ 
wings; some red, some black, some yellow, and some a 
dazzling white, as if covered with phosphorus. He heard 
thundering, he saw lightning. He saw the judges’ stand, 
toward which his horse was straining, receding from him 
in the distance, and passing from his view entirely when 
he thought that he was almost there. He heard music, 
delightful at times and again harshly discordant. He saw 
before him his congregation filling their accustomed seats 
in church; but the pews were surging, and tossing, and 
curveting like yachts on the waves. He saw the walls of 
his old room in the seminary. They were quivering as 
with an earthquake. The ceiling was cracking and about 
to fall ; it did fall, and directly upon him. He was help- 
less and unable to move ; he gasped for breath and strug- 
gled fiercely to escape, when he felt a darting pain in his 
right leg. 

Lie still, Mr. Dashwell,” was the next sound he heard. 
‘‘ Don’t you recognize me ?” 

The voice was that of Dr. Toogood, one of his parish- 
ioners and a prominent surgeon of the place. He was 
standing by the side of a bed and looking down upon its 
occupant. Mr. Dashwell slowly began to comprehend the 
fact that the occupant was no other .than himself, and that 
around him were the walls of his own room in the parson- 
age. These walls he soon perceived were entirely station- 
ary, and the ceiling above was intact. 


REV, MR. DASHWELL, 


118 

“ Dr. Toogood, I believe,” said Mr. Dashwell, when he 
began to realize his surroundings. 

“ The same,” said Dr. Toogood, with a bow ; “ and you 
are the Eev. Mr. Dashwell.” 

‘‘So I conclude,” said that individual; “but I can 
hardly explain my present position. May I ask you, 
doctor, what it means ? Am I dreaming, or have I been 
sick, and dosed with allopathic medicine? What is that 
horrid smell from my breath ?” 

“ That’s the ether,” said Dr. Toogood. 

“ Ether !” said Mr. Dashwell, in surprise, attempting to 
rise and feeling a twinge in the leg just below the knee. 

“ Quiet, quiet,” said Dr. Toogood, gently placing his 
hand upon the minister’s shoulder. 

“ Won’t you explain the meaning of all this, and tell 
me who that stranger is at the foot of the bed ?” 

“That is Mr. Tompkins, the nurse from the hospital, 
who will be obliged to keep you a prisoner for a few 
weeks; so you had better make the best terms possible 
with him to secure gentle treatment. Your leg has been 
broken, Mr. Dashwell.” 

“AVhere?” said Mr. Dashwell, in surprise. 

“ The right leg, below the knee,” said Dr. Toogood, pro- 
fessionally. 

“ But where did it happen, and how ?” asked Mr. Dash- 
well. 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 119 

On the race-course, from a collision with the wagon of 
your competitor, by which you were thrown to the ground; 
but the fracture is reduced, and all that is needed will be 
quiet for a few weeks.’’ 

Mr. Dash well gave a groan of dissatisfaction ratlier than 
of pain. He began to recall his afternoon’s experience 
with Sam the jockey. He would have preferred, for the 
sake of the strictly orthodox members of his session and 
congregation, that the accident had happened elsewhere 
than upon a race-course. He still had faith in the plan 
of bringing the church in contact with the world ; but he 
feared such a collision between a clergyman and a horse- 
jockey might be regarded as briuging the tv/o in rather 
too close proximity. He feared a vacant pulpit from such 
a cause as the present accident would furnish might be the 
occasion of some unpleasant comments. 

‘‘Well, doctor,” said the minister, after these thoughts 
had passed through his mind, “I’m your prisoner; impose 
your commands, and I shall be obliged to obey, I suppose.” 

“Yes,” said Dr. Toogood ; “for the present, medicine 
has the best of theology. My orders are that you shall be 
kept strictly quiet for the next three or four weeks, and 
as you may not rest very well to-night, I will prescribe an 
anodyne;” and Dr. Toogood took his pencil and wrote 
some hieroglyphics on a prescription paper. “ There, take 
a teaspoonful of that once in two hours until you are 
asleep.” 


120 


J?£F. MR. DASHWELL, 


“Excuse me, doctor,” said Mr. Dashwell; “but is that 
allopathic medicine ?” 

“ If you mean by allopathic medicine that which will 
produce the desired effect, it is such,’’ said Dr. Toogood, 
with considerable promptness. 

‘‘ I beg your pardon, doctor,” said Mr. Dashwell ; ‘‘ but 
I am a strict homeopathist. Will you allow my medical 
treatment to be such ? I have at hand a case of homeo- 
pathic medicines which I use in any little illness to which 
I may be subject, and I find it answers perfectly well. 
May I not select the anyodyne from them ?” 

‘‘ Certainly, certainly,” said Dr. Toogood ; I was about 
to prescribe an opiate. Suppose now you should make 
use of a few pilulse of opium from your little bottle 
marked with the name of that drug. If your medicine is 
all that you believe it to be, you will have a delightful 
night’s rest.” 

How many shall I take, doctor ?” 

‘‘ Take two or three, and if they are not sufficient take 
two or three hundred, take a thousand, they can’t hurt 
you,” said Dr. Toogood, with a slight twinkle in the 
corner of his eye. 

The next morning he called. 

“How did you sleep, dominie?” he asked. 

“ Not well, doctor ; I had some pain, and passed a rest- 
less night.” 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HA AIR TON 121 

So I supposed. To-night I would advise you to take 
an anodyne, and get a good night’s rest.” 

“But I took one last night.” 

“Indeed,” said Dr. Toogood, dryly. “To-night allow 
me to give you what I consider an anodyne.” 

“All right; go ahead, doctor.” 

Dr. Toogood took out a pocket-case, and carefully mea- 
sured out, on the point of his knife, a brownish powder. 

“ There, take that two hours before bedtime,” he said. 

The next morning he asked : 

“ How did you sleep last night ?” 

“Splendidly, I must confess. Now, why did not the 
other medicine answer the purpose?” asked Mr. Dash- 
well. 

“Simply because a broken leg is not an imaginary 
illness.” 

“ Oh, doctor, I see you are just as prejudiced as all the 
rest of the old-school practitioners. Now, do you really 
believe the effects of homeopathic medicines are purely 
imaginary ?” 

“ In infinitesimal doses, entirely so,” said Dr. Toogood. 

“ Then you have no faith in homeopathy ?” 

“ My dear young friend, I think homeopathy in medi- 
cine corresponds with sensationalism in the pulpit,” said 
Dr. Toogood, with a low bow. “Both have their place, 
but that place is a secondary one.” 


II 


i 


122 J^EV. MR. DASHWELL, 

“Please explain yourself, doctor,’^ said Mr. Dashwell 
with red cheeks. 

“I mean just this,” said Dr. Toogood. “There are 
certain old-fashioned gospel truths ; they are bitter and 
unpalatable to the modern taste. The pulpit sensationalist 
attempts to infinitesimalize and sugar-coat them, so that 
they may be more readily swallowed. There are certain 
legitimate, old-fashioned, effectual medicines unpalatable 
to the taste. The homeopathist attempts to infinitesimalize 
and sugar-coat them, so that they may be more acceptable 
to the sensitive palate.” 

“ Is not this a very creditable endeavor both on the part 
of the sensationalist and the homeopathist?” asked Mr. 
Dashw^ell. 

“It would be so if the truth and the medicine were not 
alike emasculated and rendered inert by the infinitesi- 
malizing process,” answered the doctor. 

“ If they are so emasculated as you say, doctor, how do 
you explain the success of both the sensationalist and the 
homeopathist?” asked the minister, 

“ I explain it by the fact that that which is called suc- 
cess, is not success at all. To fill a church wfith a gaping 
crq}vd by methods of catching the public ear wdiich is not 
the simple statement of gospel truth, is not success in the 
pulpit. The fact that many recover under homeopathic 
troatment does not imply necessarily the success of homeo- 
pathy.” 


THE EEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 123 

Why not ?” asked Mr. Dash well. 

‘‘Simply because Nature effects the cure which is as- 
cribed to medicine in nine cases out of ten, perhaps in 
ninety-nine out of a hundred,’’ said the doctor. 

“ Oh, I see,” said Mr. Dash well ; “ you mean to say that 
you allopathic practitioners get the credit of cures which 
you do not effect.” 

“I mean to say just that; and that shrewd practitioners, 
calling themselves homeopathic, have availed themselves 
of the popular mistake, and obtained the credit of effecting 
cures which belong to. the restorative powers of Nature, 
and not to the medicine at all.” 

‘* And allopathic practitioners likewise?” said the min- 
ister. 

“ Allopathic practitioners likewise,” said the doctor. 

“But then, doctor, if in nine cases out of ten Nature 
effects the cure for which the physician, allopathic or 
homeopathic, gets the credit, why not use the system 
which administers the most palatable doses ?” 

“Simply because in the tenth case where medicine may 
be required, and may possibly turn the scale between life 
and death, the doses of the regular system are effectual, 
and those of the homeopathic are not.” 

“ Ah, doctor, now I am afraid that you are a little pre- 
j ini iced,” said the minister. 

“ I am simply explaining the process by which a great 


124 


REV. MR. DASHWELLy 


delusion lias gained a foothold ; it depends upon a second 
delusion, that medicines are much more necessary and 
effectual than they really are for the preservation and 
restoration of health. I shall not attempt to prove by 
argument that a grain of arsenic dropped in the Long 
Island Sound will not make that entire body of water a 
most useful medicine.- The thing is too absurd upon its 
face to admit of discussion. It is the duty of a sensible 
man, when a manifest absurdity has been accepted as a 
truth, to show, if he can, how it came to be so accepted, 
and that is sufficient. I have shown you how the homeo- 
pathic system of practice gained a foothold, and how any 
system of quackery may do the same. Shall I now tell 
you how it has maintained that foothold ?’’ 

I would like to hear,” said Mr. Dashwell. 

‘‘Just in this way. The so-called homeopathist uses 
constantly the doses and medicines used by the regular 
practitioner.” 

“ Oh, doctor !” 

“ It is a fact ! Hahnemann himself would never recog- 
nize his professed followers, so widely have they departed 
from the original faith. When Nature would readily effect 
a cure, they use infinitesimal doses, and thus give a color- 
ing of success to their practice ; but you may be sure that 
in cases wffiere they are shrewd enough to see that medicine 
is really needed they do not hesitate to use it in effectual 
doses.” 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 125 

‘‘But do not they use it on a different principle, doc- 

tor 

“Now, then, you have reached the last excuse which 
they offer for retaining their system of delusion. They 
do profess to administer medicine on a different principle 
from the regular practitioner. What does that amount to? 
I give you a dose of quinine when you get the ‘shakes.’ 
Why ? Because some South American Indian once found 
by making the experiment that quinine will cure the 
‘shakes.’ Is not this a sufficient reason? The homeo- 
path gives the same medicine, and really for the same 
reason. He professes, however, to give it for a different 
one. He says he gives it because he has found that it 
will make a healthy man shake, and will therefore, on the 
homeopathic theory, cure a sick man so shaking. Suppose 
he tells the truth j what is the difference? I give a medi- 
cine which I have found by experiment will cure a certain 
disease. He gives it because it will produce certain symp- 
toms in a healthy man, and therefore, as he infers, will 
cure a sick one affected with similar symptoms. Is it not 
about as broad as it is long, excepting that if he should 
happen to be mistaken in his inference and theory, his 
whole system must be a failure ? I give a certain medi- 
cine because I know by experiment that it will cure ; he, 
because he thinks it ought to cure, if a certain theory he 
holds should prove to be correct.” 

II* 


126 


/^EV. MR, DASH WELL, 


‘‘ Now, doctor, how could a system which seems to you 
so unreasonable, absurd and false, ever have originated T 
“ Why, my dear minister, don’t you know that people 
like something new ? They like nov^ty and change both 
in pulgks and pill-b(^es. How the theological sensation- 
alist attempts to furnish it, I need hardly explain to you. 
It is enough to say that it' is generally by trampling upon 
some time-honored custom. For instance, if jocularity in 
the pulpit has long been considered a profanity, he will 
probably . attempt to keep a smile upon the faces of his 
audience by his clerical jokes. So the medical sensation- 
alist attempts in a similar way to produce an impression 
by contrast. Had it long been thought that medicines 
were effectual in proportion to their bulk and vastness 
generally, the homeopathist rushes to the other extreme, 
and certainly makes them ineffectual by diminutive and 
tasteless doses. The public are attracted for the time 
being by the new tricks and novel expedients of both 
medical and ministerial charlatans, and this accounts for 
their origin and temporary success, so called. But as that 
success depends only upon the novelty of the expedients 
adopted to secure it, so soon as these become an old story, 
the success is at an end, and new methods must be devised 
to stimulate curiosity. So we may have faith to believe 
that the sensational charlatanry in theology as well as in 
medicine will run its course and die a natural death in due 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 127 


Thank you, dear doctor, for the comfort to be derived 
from your last thought,’’ said Mr. Dash well. “If I did 
not feel so sure that you know that there can be nothing 
of a sensational character connected with my own pulpit 
exercises, I should almost consider your remarks personal. 
As you consider homeopathy and pulpit sensationalism so 
nearly allied, I am afraid I must give up my medical 
heresies, lest you may think I shall become affected with a 
theological taint also. But in the meantime, while I am 
undergoing conversion to your views, I suppose that my 
leg can go on to recovery. We will assume that this is 
one of the nine cases out of ten where Nature and not 
medicine effects the cure, and therefore not quarrel with 
reference to the system of practice to be adopted.” 


X 



CHAPTER XI. 


%\t anil €>lir liinisfer in tontil 

Four weeks after Mr. DashwelFs race with Sam Mc- 
Bride he was beginning to move about the parsonage, 
supporting himself by crutches, and tenderly nursing the 
broken limb, which Dr. Toogood had encased in a plaster- 
of-paris coat of mail. During his confinement to the 
house the young minister had been more than ever depen- 
dent upon the inmates of the parsonage for society. As 
a consequence he had held frequent interviews with Dr. 
Woodbridge, conversing generally upon topics of the day 
and subjects of general interest, for he had an impres- 
sion that his modern views upon church extension and 
even his real sentiments upon points of doctrine would 
hardly be likely to coincide with those of the old doctor. 
He therefore very prudently, as he supposed, had avoided 
the discussion of questions of a theological character. 
Upon many subjects pertaining to church progress he 
regarded Dr. Woodbridge as hopelessly behind the age, 
when viewed from his own advanced standpoint. Neverthe- 
less he could not avoid a feeling of respect for the sincerity 
and deep convictions of the old minister, and he almost 
loved him for his kindness of heart. Never had he been 
( 128 ) 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 129 

able to discover that his own presence in the parsonage as 
the probable successor of the aged pastor had excited any 
feeling of jealousy or dislike, in the minds either of him or 
his daughter. In fact, Mr. Dashwell believed that if 
simple, unaffected piety was to be found anywhere. Dr. 
Woodbridge was possessed of the genuine sentiment. On 
the other hand, the old doctor himself, unsuspicious as he 
wa^ by nature, always inclined to ascribe the best motive 
possible to every action, although he could not but per- 
ceive that the course of his young friend both in and out of 
the pulpit was often not that which he would have chosen 
for himself, was nevertheless so fascinated with the genial 
natural disposition and the free and easy cordiality of his 
young guest that he began almost from his first acquaint- 
ance to entertain a real affection for him. The two sus- 
tained to each other the relations of the demure old tabby 
to the rather ofiicious but frolicsome kitten. So assured 
was Mr. Dashwell of the cordial feeling of the old pastor 
toward himself that, next to his friend Joe, to no one 
would he sooner go for sympathy and consolation in any 
season of mental depression and despondency. 

One Sunday afternoon in May the young minister had 
hobbled into/the study of the old one, and the two were 
smoking in- company their after-dinner cigars, for both 
alike were inclined to an occasional indulgence in the 
soothing influence of the weed. During the morning 


130 


J^EV, MR. DASHWELL, 


Elder Domore, who felt it his duty to keep his friend 
posted in evil as well as good report, had brought to him 
the news that certain unfriendly criticisms had been made 
by some members of the congregation with reference to 
the late accident upon the race-course. They were the 
first decidedly unfavorable comments which had ever been 
brought to the ears of Mr. Dashwell, and he felt most 
keenly anything which might be construed as an evidence 
that the wave of popularity upon which he had been 
borne heretofore so triumphantly along was now about to 
recede. As one of his sanguine temperament might natu- 
rally be expected to do on such an occasion, he was 
suffering from a fit of the blues. In his despondency the 
solitude of his room felt irksome to him, and he had 
followed the old doctor, after dinner was over, into his 
study. 

“Doctor,’’ said Mr. Dashwell, “Elder Domore told me 
this morning that there is some unfriendly talk in the 
congregation about my misfortune in breaking my leg. 
The report makes me feel very unhappy. Now, I have 
never conversed with you about that affair. I knew that 
ministers did not ordinarily go to the race-course to get 
their legs broken, and as I had overstepped the established 
routine in this respect, I have always felt a little delicacy 
in talking to you on the subject. But I know that you 
feel kindly toward me, and would tell me frankly if you 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. • 131 


think I am very much to blame in exposing myself to 
such an accident in such a place. Now, will you please 
tell me whether you have yourself heard any adverse 
criticisms of my conduct on that occasion, and w'hether 
you really feel that I am deserving of censure for that 
aifair, and for occasionally doing certain other things 
which the people here call ‘sensational?’/’ 

“Well, my dear young friend,” said Dr. Woodbridge, 
“I must say first that the confidence in me which your 
questions upon such a subject would imply gives me great 
pleasure. You are not mistaken in saying that I have 
kind feelings toward yourself; and now that the occasion 
seems to offer, let me improve it by saying to you that if 
the church should see fit to appoint you my successor, as I 
now believe it will, such a circumstance will not lessen in 
the least the kind wishes and sincere friendship I have 
entertained for you ever since you have been under my 
roof. Now, with reference to unfriendly criticisms, I have 
heard none; and indeed the fact that our kind relations are 
so well understood by the congregation, would be likely to 
prevent any such reports from reaching my ears, even 
should they exist. As to your question whether I approve 
of that in your conduct which you say is called ‘sensa- 
tional,’ and particularly of your appearance upon the race- 
course, if you wish for a candid expression of my opinion, I 
think I must adopt the Yankee method and answer your 


132 REV, MR, DASIIWELL, 

question by asking another — what motives prompted you 
to go there 

‘‘ Why, doctor,’’ said Mr. Dashwell, ‘‘ I believe they 
w^ere about these : I want to see our church grow ; I want 
to see the pews filled every Sunday ; I want to attract 
people to the church in every way I can. I cannot, by 
my sermons, attract those who never come to listen to a 
sermon at all. I must therefore get such persons into the 
church in some other way than by standing in the pulpit 
and preaching to empty pews. Now, there are many who 
frequent the race-course who never come to the church. I 
wanted to make them my friends and thus persuade them 
to come ; so I went down there among them, and like the 
Apostle Paul, ‘ I became all things to all men if thereby I 
might win some of them to come and hear me preach.’ In 
so doing I met with an accident ; that’s all.” 

Your reasons seem quite plausible, and perhaps they 
may be sound,” said Dr. Woodbridge; “but if I am to 
answer your question frankly, I must be a littie critical, 
and go one step further back on the subject of motives. I 
must ask you, once more, why do you wish to see the pews 
filled, and why do you wish to see a crowded church?” 

“ Why, doctor,” said Mr. Dashwell, “ what would be the 
use of preaching if only empty pews are ready to listen? 
If my sermons do any good at all, will they not do more 
good if listened to by a thousand rather than^ by a hun- 
dred ?” 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 133 


Probably they would. I am to infer, then, and I 
believe that your motive in wishing for a crowded church 
is that you may do good to a greater number. Such a 
motive is most commendable. Some preachers have other 
and more unworthy motives, which perhaps you will allow 
me to allude to by-and-by. Yours are correct. The next 
question then to be considered is — was it advisable for you, 
led by such good motives, to go to a race-course, or to do 
any of those other things which are called ‘ sensational’ for 
the sake of inducing some to come to your church who 
otherwise would not?” 

“That’s the question, doctor. Is there anything intrinsi- 
cally wrong in having a friendly race even upon a race- 
course, providing one has the courage to refuse to bet 
when asked, and thereby gets his leg broken ?” asked Mr. 
Dashwell. 

“Well, let us see,” said Dr. Woodbridge. “You know 
Paul says that some things may be lawful which are not 
expedient. Your desire in visiting the race-course was to 
induce the habitues of that place to attend your church. 
Now, how would they be influenced to do this by such 
conduct on the part of a clergyman? If led to come, 
would it not principally be from curiosity to see how a 
minister would preach who does that which is so incon- 
sistent with the course adopted by the majority of his 
brethren? They probably know enough of sermons to 



12 


134 


MR, DASHWELL, 


iiDcIerstand that that which is usually preached from 
pulpits is not palatable to members of a jockey-club. 
They know, too, that those who so preach do not usually 
associate with those whose conduct they denounce. When, 
therefore, they find a minister willing to so affiliate, they 
are pleased, because every sinner likes to be considered 
better than he is, and likes the countenance of those whom 
he regards as better than himself. Being so pleased by the 
association of a member of the clerical profession, the mem- 
bers of the sporting fraternity might possibly feel inclined 
to reciprocate, and return the compliment by visiting the 
clergyman at his official home, the church. They might 
be led to do this partly from a desire to see if their new 
friend may not treat them with as much leniency in the 
pulpit as upon the race-course, and ignore their misdeeds 
as much in one as upon the other. Now, will come the 
trial for the minister. His new friends would naturally 
expect that if they received him courteously on the course, 
he would in turn treat them politely as visitors, and no 
more denounce their shortcomings from the pulpit than 
he did upon the track. If the minister is thus polite he 
is inconsistent, and dishonors his holy calling. If he is 
true to his profession, and places the acts of his late friends 
in their true light, they will consider him treacherous and 
as violating the rites of hospitality in smiling upon them 
when he is at their mercy, and frowning upon them when 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 135 

they are at his. With such sentiments they would be 
more likely to desert the church and become enemies 
than to become pew-holders; and the minister, however 
good his intentions may have been, would be disappointed 
in his efforts to enlist recruits from the jockey-club. I 
would agree, therefore, with the Apostle Paul, and decide 
that though your experiment may have been lawful, it was 
hardly expedient.’’ 

“Well, doctor, I must confess that your verdict was 
about what I expected. Thank you for letting me off so 
easily, and giving me credit for good motives in associating 
with the jockeys. Four weeks in bed, and three or four 
more on crutches, show me pretty plainly that the thing 
was inexpedient. Now, doctor, since we are on the sub- 
ject, suppose we keep on for a while longer. Domore 
told me of other complaints from some of the old fog — 
from some of the older and more sedate members of the 
church, that I am ‘too sensational.’ I supi^ose they mean 
by that criticism that I occasionally attempt to get out of 
the ruts that Presbyterian ministers have travelled in since 
Noah landed from the ark.” 

“ I was not aware that the Presbyterian Church had 
attained such an age as your last remark would indicate,” 
said Dr. Woodbridge, with a slight twinkle in the corner 
of his eye. 

“ Well, I suppose these old people who make complaint, 


136 


RE V MR. DASHWELL, 


don't like it because I do some things in and out of the 
pulpit which they haven't been used to. If I get off some- 
thing in the sermon which makes the young folks smile a 
little — the old ones couldn’t be induced to commit such a 
sin by any consideration — they call it ‘ sensationalisni' 
here. If I raise an extra cloud of dust in the streets by 
driving Joe — that's my horse a little faster than their bony 
quadrupeds have learned to travel, they call it ‘sensa- 
tional.' If I play a game of cards, or billiards, or smoke 
a cigar on a hotel piazza with my worldly-minded friends, 
that's ‘a little too sensational.’ Now, if I do nothing 
wrong, what is the harm in violating the straight- laced 
rules which would make a clergyman wear a white choker, 
a black swallow-tail, and a face as sour as a keg of last 
year’s cider, for a lifetime ? 

“Well, my young friend," said Dr. Woodbridge, “let 
us assume that the motives of those who adopt the style 
which has been called ‘ sensational' are the very best, that 
they spring from a simple desire to be untrammeled by 
old-fashioned ideas, to be independent ; such motives are 
not improper. The next question to be considered is this: 
Is it expedient to do that which may offend the taste and 
sense of propriety of a majority of the members of a 
church? There is a fashion in churches as well as in 
dress. Such fashions may be the result of the merest 
whim of those who originate them ; they may not be die- 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON, 137 

tatcd by refined taste, and may even be in violation of it. 
We certainly have the right to be unlashiojiable in dress 
if we choose, but we must expect to take the consequences. 
If we indulge in a marked violation of the rules in this 
particular which regulate the community around us, we 
may be excluded Irom good society, and would have no 
right to complain. So in the church; if we should violate 
that to which custom has given its sanction for many 
years, and thus ofiend the sense of propriety of a majority 
of those who support the church, we may be doing nothing 
intrinsically wrong. On the other hand, the church would 
be doing nothing wrong in relieving itself of the service 
of those who persistently violate that which it believes to 
be good taste. Perhaps Paul’s advice not even to eat 
meat if thereby offence may be given to a brother is the 
best to follow. 

‘‘ But possibly sensationalism in the pulpit may not 
always spring from such good motives as we have been 
supposing, l^ow, my friend, let us forget the particular 
question you asked with reference to yourself, and take a 
general view of the subject. There is a pulpit sensation 
and a pew sensation also, which I think is most desirable. 
It is the kind of sensation which Whitefield and a few 
others like him witnessed as they in all sincerity and 
simplicity expounded the plain but fearful truths we find 
in that book which we believe came from God himself. It 


138 


J^JSV. MR. DASH WELL, 


is the sensation 'which men experience when they are fully 
convinced that they are in danger of great evil w^hich is 
sure to overtake them unless they shall adopt a certain 
course. It is the kind of sensation which passengers on a 
crowded ship experience when assured that they are in a 
helplessly sinking condiiion. There is another kind of 
sensation even more desirable than this which I have just 
described. It is that which is experienced from the assu- 
rance that an impending evil has been averted, like that 
of the passengers who have outlived a storm at sea and 
have the port in sight. We believe that such sensations 
in churches are legitimate, if we believe that the Bible is 
of divine origin. Let us call it, if you please, the old- 
fashioned sensation of the Puritan fathers. Allow me to 
say that it is the only pulpit sensation wdth which I have 
any sympathy. There is a modern sensationalism which 
will attract crowds, w^hich, if I understand it, I believe to 
be illegitimate and undesirable. It is a sensation pro- 
duced in part at least by a denial that there was ever any 
ground for the old-fashioned sensation which hitefield s 
preaching produced, and which drove the Pilgrims across 
the sea to Plymouth Pock. It is the sensation that the 
passengers of the.ship supposed to be sinking would expe- 
• rience if told there never had been and never could be 
any danger of the catastrophe; the sensation wdiich can 
be produced by a deliberate trampling upon and abandon- 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 


139 


ment of the ideas which have held sway in the church for 
ages. If men can be persuaded so to do, and so to dis- 
believe, they must experience that sensation of delight 
which possesses all who find that a supposed danger is only 
imaginary. This I believe to be one important element 
in crowding many churches which belong to the class 
called sensational. Let me give an illustration, which I 
suppose to be a correct one, of the manner in which a 
modern sensational church is established and maintained. 
A young man of talent graduates at college. He sees 
before him different professions from which to choose. He 
has a taste for oratorical display. His tasta in this par- 
ticular can be more fully and easily gratified in the pulpit 
than at the bar. He determines, from no higher motive 
than the fact that he can attract an audience, to enter the 
ministry. He goes to a large city and proceeds to build 
up a church. He must attract. He know^s that the plain 
preaching of the simple truths of the Bible are not attract- 
ive to the majority. He himself has no decided belief 
in such truths, nor did a desire to unfold them to others 
influence him to ente^ the ministry. He does not preach 
them ; but every Sabbath he selects such subjects as he 
believes will attract the largest audience of those who will 
pay for their pews. The idea of a church suggests that a 
flavor of morality should be given to his discourses, and 
he flavors them accordingly as he supposes will best satisfy 


140 


I!£V. MR, DASHWELL, 


the tastes of a majority of his audience. He preaches that 
which he thinks will most delight those who come to hear 
him, and induce others to come. His salary, his popu- 
larity, in fact all that he considers success, are dependent 
upon his ability to make himself and his discourses the 
most attractive to the greatest number. This, in his esti- 
mation, is the end toward which he should aim, and for 
which he should strive. Should his audience be such as 
may be pleased with an occasional slur upon that w^hich 
he calls the old-fashioned piety of his more conscientious 
neighbors, or by a flippant jocularity in the pulpit which 
most would deem irreverent, he does not hesitate to court 
popularity by gratifying them. Such, my friend, is what 
I suppose to be a modern sensational preacher and church. 
I most sincerely hope many such do not exist; but I 
believe there may be one or two such parasitical growths 
in almost every large city, and occasionally a sickly imita- 
tion in our larger country towns. But the name church 
as applied to them is a misnomer. Lyceums or theatres 
are terms which might with propriety be given to them. 
At the very best they are halls for general instruction and 
amusement, and the discussion of subjects of rather an 
elevated moral character. I hope your leg is not becom- 
ing painful again, Mr. Dash well T 

This last question of Dr. Woodbridge was prompted by 
the circumstance that Mr. Dashw^ell during the old minis- 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 


141 


ter’s remarks seemed to become restless, and had taken his 
cratches and was shuffling uneasily to and fro across the 
study. 

‘‘ No, doctor,’’ said Mr. Dashwell, it is not the leg just 
now which makes me feel a little uneasy. It may be a 
slight attack of indigestion or of a tender conscience, I am 
not quite sure which. Anyhow, I think if I go to my own 
room I may feel better. Thank you for the kind advice. 
1 hope T shall profit by it.” 

Mr. Dashwell in afterward rehearsing the remarks of 
Dr. Woodbridge to his friend Joe, said that ‘'he really 
should have supposed that the venerable old fossil in- 
tended to be personal in his criticism of pulpit sensation- 
alists, if he had not felt so assured that he himself could 
not possibly be included in such a class, and that the doctor 
was altogether too polite and good-natured to make such an 
insinuation,” 




CHAPTEE XII. 


Hr. nnii ^ 

Keakly two months of confinement to the house had 
passed away, and the young minister had so far recovered 
from the effects of his accident that he was again seen 
driving through the streets. The time was now near at 
hand when the question of giving him a call was to be 
taken into consideration by the officers of the church. It 
was only a few days before the meeting of the session for 
that purpose, on a lovely afternoon in June, that Mr. 
Dash well said to Mabel : 

“ Miss Mabel, if you have no other engagement for this 
afternoon, may I not have the pleasure of your company 
for a drive through the country ? I am sure that the fresh 
air of such a beautiful day must do you good. I fear that 
my long illness has imposed unusual care upon you, and 
now will you not aflbrd me an opportunity to render some 
slight return for the obligation under which your kindness 
has placed me ?” 

Mabel had received such invitations from the minister 
before, as had several other of his young lady parishioners. 
She had always accepted them with the frankness and 
cordiality with which they had been extended, and had 
\ll2) 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 143 

enjoyed tlie drive which followed. On the present occasion 
the unusually pleasant afternoon, and the evident desire 
of Mr. Dash well to afford her pleasure, induced her to 
assent heartily and with some exhilaration to the proposi- 
tion. 

At the appointed time, four o’clock in the afternoon, the 
handsome horse and buggy left the parsonage door, Mr. 
Dashwell holding the reins, with Mabel by his side. The 
stylish turnout did not fail to attract attention ; for the 
minister’s accident had been well known and variously 
commented upon by the different classes in Hampton. 
The “ sporting parson” had the sympathy of the sporting 
fraternity generally ; for among them there was an im- 
pression that he had been unfairly treated by Sam the 
jockey ; and the comments of the corner loungers there- 
fore upon the ‘‘ fast young minister,” the ‘‘ two-thirty 
nag,” and the “old dominie’s daughter” wwe generally 
of a favorable character. Ladies of the congregation who 
chanced to meet them wondered whether there might not 
soon be an engagement between the couple who seemed so 
pleasantly associated ; and the many “pros” and the few 
“ cons” of such an exceedingly appropriate and desirable 
• an event, as it appeared to most of them, were duly dis- 
cussed and weighed. As they passed the imposing resi- 
dence of Elder Pinch, Maria and her intimate friend, 
Miss Jenny Abel, happened to be sitting at the open 


144 


REV, MR, DASH WELL, 


window. The two young ladies nodded to Mabel and 
bowed with gracious smiles to her companion, who 
dropped his rein as he raised his hat with great gal- 
lantry. We will allow Mr. Dash well and Mabel to 
drive on for a short distance, while we enter the Pinch 
mansion to listen to a little conversation between the two 
ladies. 

‘‘Jenny,’' said Miss Pinch, when the back of Mr. Dash- 
well’s buggy had disappeared from view, “what do you 
thiuk that means?” Of course the “that” of Miss Pinch 
had reference to the couple who had just passed out of 
sight. 

“ Perhaps Mabel really thinks Mr. Dash well means 
something by such invitations; but I suppose he can’t help 
himself, poor man ! he must be polite to her, you know. 
It wouldn’t do not to show her any attention ; but we 
know where he is really in earnest, don’t we ?” and Miss. 
Abel looked at her friend as if that young lady could not 
have any possible doubt upon that question. 

Miss Pinch blushed slightly, as she said : 

“ Now, Jenny, you are too complimentary ; you are, 
indeed. To be sure Mr. Dashwell has always been very 
polite and confiding in his manner, but you know that he 
has never said anything directly.” 

“Now, Maria,” said her confidante, “you know that it 
is not necessary ; actions often speak louder than words. 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 145 

I am sure, no matter how much Mabel may try, and how 
good her opportunities may be, she can never succeed 
unless you wish her to do so/' 

Thank you, Jenny ; but I am sure your friendship 
makes you too partial to myself," said Miss Pinch, highly 
gratified, nevertheless, with the encouraging views of her 
companion. 

Meanwhile the excursionists had left the village and 
taken the road leading over the hills, which form a ridge 
through the centre of the island. At times they would 
ascend elevations from which for many miles the country, 
dotted with farm-houses and hamlets, could be seen spread- 
ing out on either side ; then they would descend through 
wooded valleys fragrant with the odor of wild flowers and 
the fresh foliage and vegetation of June. The air was 
soft and delicious, the rays of the sun not oppressive. Mr, 
Dash well seemed cheerful, sociable, and anxious to please, 
and Mabel felt that nothing more was needed to make the 
afternoon one of unalloyed pleasure. 

If Mabel, howevp; had overheard the remarks Miss 
Abel had just made to Miss Pinch, the injustice of the 
implication contained in them might have seriously marred 
the happiness of the ride ; for in truth she had never felt 
and certainly she had never sought an intimate acquain- 
tance with the minister, although now for nearly a year he 
had been a member of the household at the parsonage. As 

13 


146 


REV, MR, DASHWELL, 


liis hostess, an office imposed upon her by the session of 
the church without her previous knowledge or consent, she 
had felt it her duty to render the peculiar position of the 
minister as pleasant as possible. During his illness espe- 
cially, she, with all maidenly modesty, it is true, but with 
entire freedom from any prudish affectation of reserve, had 
sought to relieve the monotony of the period by such 
simple methods of entertainment and diversion as might 
suggest themselves to her mind. At his request she would 
play for him his favorite airs upon the piano, would read 
to him extracts which were of interest, and would occa- 
sionally attempt to beat him at a game of back-gammon or 
chess, generally with but poor success, as her opponent was 
a skillful player. So entirely conscious w^as she of only a 
simple desire to do her duty to her father’s guest, that 
with entire freedom she rendered those little attentions 
wffiich others in her situation, more self-conscious, might 
have hesitated to do, lest a wrong construction should be 
placed upon their motives. 

Nor did Mr. Dashwell misinterpret the native politeness 
of Mabel. Flattered as he had been by the pointed atten- 
tions of certain young ladies of his congregation, with a 
high estimate of his own ability to please the fair sex, he 
nevertheless had acuteness enough to observe that Mabel’s 
frank cordiality of manner and her desire to please arose 
from no intention on her part to gain a place in his affec- 


THE HEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON I47 


ti'ons. Neither had he been able to discover any evidence 
that he had found any place in hers. 

The question of his ability to do so if he should attempt 
it, it must be confessed was one which during his two 
months’ illness he had often debated in his mind. It 
became a new doctrine of election which sadly puzzled his 
ministerial intellect. As he studied the movements of 
Mabel and compared her action toward others of his own 
sex with her conduct toward himself, as he noticed her 
simplicity, frankness, and geniality of manner toward 
others as well as himself, he became possessed of a desire 
to obtain from her some evidence that he held a peculiar 
place in her estimation; but he had entirely failed. Very 
likely his motive in doing so, at first at least, was one of 
wounded pride, of a desire to succeed, that he might not 
carry with him the consciousness of defeat. This very 
want of success in winning the prize helped to impress him 
with the conviction that it was one well worth striving for. 
Had he succeeded easily, it is not unlikely that his ambi- 
tion would then haye been fully gratified, and that Mabel 
would have taken, in his estimation, simply a place in the 
list of his supposed admirers, and perhaps would have 
been finally forgotten. Not that he was at all unconscious 
of the fascinations of Mabel, or uninfluenced by her 
accomplishments and beauty af disposition, mind, and 
person. But as yet Mr. Dashwell had not thought it 


148 


REV. MR. DASHWELL, 


prudent to allow his affections to rest seriously upon any 
of the fair ones around him, upon whom he did not hesi- 
tate to lavish his smiles. For he was ambitious. As in 
the church, so in love, success with him meant temporal 
prosperity, and temporal prosperity meant wealth. During 
the eight weeks he was lying upon his couch in the par- 
sonage unable to move, his imagination would often picture 
to him his possible future. At times in his day-dreams he 
would see by his side the graceful form of Mabel in a cosy 
parsonage filled with the comforts, if not the luxuries, of 
life. The living vision charmed him, but alas! for the 
humble surroundings. At other times he would see rising 
before him an elegant mansion furnished with all that taste 
could suggest and wealth could procure, of which he was 
the master, and the mistress was — Miss Pinch. The vision 
was not yet satisfactory. How complete, thought he, 
would be the picture, could only the elegant mansion 
remain intact, and Mabel enter as its mistress. 

As the young minister rode along that summer after- 
noon with Mabel by his side, her lovely face more radiant 
than usual from the exhilaration of the day and the ride, 
the selfish in his disposition seemed to be on the wane, 
while the generous impulses and natural affection became 
in the ascendant. In spite of his friend Joe’s solemn 
warnings and his own prudent resolves “ never to throw 
himself away,” the elegant mansion and the smiling Miss 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON I49 


Pinch did begin to fade from his mental vision, and in 
their stead came the cosy cottage with Mabel as the pre- 
siding angel. The picture became so vivid and beautiful 
that the minister could not resist the charm, and he 
resolved that the afternoon’s ride should not end until he 
had learned whether it might not be possible to make the 
picture a reality. 

And yet Mr. Dashwell, skillful strategist that he was, 
had no intention on the present occasion of accomplishing 
more than by careful reconnoitering to make himself 
acquainted with the approaches to Mabel’s heart, so that 
at some future season he might demand its surrender, if he 
should feel disposed to do so. This he thought he might 
feel inclined to do after further consultation with his friend 
Joe, and after obtaining from him a release from all 
promises never to entangle himself in an unprofitable 
alliance. If in fact he should finally be obliged to yield 
to the fascinations of the minister’s daughter, he resolved 
that it should be done with his eyes and the eyes of his 
friend Joe widely open, and only after he had deliberately 
consecrated .and thoroughly reconciled himself to the sacri- 
fice. Least of all did he propose to unfold to Mabel his 
own intentions until he should fully inform himself of the 
state of her aifections. 

While these thoughts were passing through the mind of 
the young clergyman he was chatting with Mabel upon 

13* 


150 


REV, MR. DASH WELL, 


the beauties of the day, the superlative qualities of his 
haudsome horse, the quaint architecture of some of the 
antiquated residences past which they were riding, and 
the different objects of interest along the road. JMabel 
thought him even more than usually vivacious and talka- 
tive, although she did at times notice periods of apparent 
abstraction and meditation. These intervals of silence she 
imagined perhaps might be filled with thoughts of his 
church work or of his approaching call, now so near at 
hand. Thus had they driven many miles, and the horse’s 
head was turned in the direction of home. They were 
passing through an e?:tensive forest of oak, chestnut, and 
hickory, which the now slanting rays of the sun were 
hardly able to penetrate. For a few minutes the minister 
had been entirely silent, and seemed to be intent upon the 
experiment of whisking off with his whip the daisy heads 
which were within reach by the side of the road. 

How pretty Miss Pinch appeared at the window this 
afternoon as we passed !” said Mr. Dashwell. Is she not 
a handsome girl ?” 

‘‘ She is indeed a beautiful young lady, and she is intel- 
ligent and accomplished also. I shall not be disclosing 
any secrets if I should say, moreover, that she is one of 
your most enthusiastic admirers,” answered Mabel. 

“A young lady with her powers of fascination could 
hardly fail to be without admirers of her own. Allow me 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 151 

to ask if among them all there is no one in whom she is 
particularly interested?’’ asked the minister, with an 
appearance of deep interest in the answer, for he ceased 
snapping off daisy heads, and looked intently at Mabel. 

‘‘A young lady with such attractions as Miss Pinch 
possesses cannot lack for admirers, as you have observed,” 
said Mabel. ‘‘But I have never heard that among them 
all there is any one upon whom she has bestowed her affec- 
tions. Perhaps Miss Pinch might not consider me presum- 
ing if I should say to you, Mr. Dash well, that the avenues 
to her heart are still open,” said Mabel, turning to the 
clergyman with a smile. 

“Thank you; thank you kindly for the information,” 
said Mr. Dashwell, with much apparent earnestness. 

“ Since you appear to take some interest in the matter, 
perhaps I may not be going too far, and perhaps Miss 
Pinch might excuse me if I should venture to express the 
opinion that to no one would the heart of Miss Pinch be 
more accessible than to her friend who is so soon to become 
her pastor,” continued Mabel. 

“Indeed! can it' be possible? Thank you once more,” 
said Mr. Dashwell, as a daisy head suddenly disappeared 
before a stroke of his whip, “ Very unsuspecting and un- 
sophisticated, and entirely indifferent, or otherwise very 
deep, and I can hardly tell which. Oh, if Joe were only 
here to give an opinion,” thought Mr. Dashwell, as he felt 


15 ^ 


MR, DASH WELL, 


that his first strategical movement had failed ; for no flush 
nor frown had shown itself upon Mabel’s placid face at his 
pretended exhibition of tenderness for Miss Pinch ; indeed, 
she rather seemed to encourage such a sentiment on his 
part. The thought that she could do so with entire 
sincerity made the minister nervous and uncomfortable. 
He resolved upon an immediate change of base, hoj^ing 
that an advance from an entirely diflferent direction might 
find his fair enemy unprepared. 

‘‘Miss Mabel,” said Mr. Dashwell, in a more serious 
tone than was usual for him, “ the time is very near at 
hand when the question of my future connection with 
your father’s church must be decided.” 

“Yes, I know it,” answered Mabel, as her face assumed 
a graver expression than it had worn during the ride. “ I 
had, however, almost forgotten the circumstance in the 
pleasure of the drive this afternoon.” 

“It has been a question to which I have given much 
thought whether to accept a call or not. I had nearly 
concluded to do so ; but there is one thing in connection 
with the matter which gives me pain. It is my unwilling- 
ness to supersede your venerable father.” 

“ Mr. Dashwell,” said Mabel, “ the feeling which you 
now express toward my dear father is considerate and 
kind ; I appreciate it fully as such, and I know my father 
will also. I need not attempt to conceal from you the fact 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON l53 

that the idea of giving up the charge of the people whom 
he has served so long and loves so much is a most painful 
one to my father as it is to myself. We had hoped such a 
change might not occur for some time to come; but we 
know that it must take place sooner or later, and perhaps 
we should not attempt to be the judges as to the proper 
time. But if it should be the wish of the people here that 
father should now have a successor, let me assure you that 
our sorrow at the separation from the church will not lead 
to any unkindly feeling toward that successor. I hope 
that you have perceived, during the year you have been 
with us, that this has been the fact both as regards father 
and myself.’’ 

During these remarks Mr. Dashwell had forgotten the 
daisy heads, and had dropped the whip in its receptacle 
at the dash-board. The elegant mansion and Miss Pinch 
were slowly fading, while a stereoscopic view of the cosy 
parsonage, with Mabel as its guardian, was forming upon 
his mental retina. ‘‘ Kind feelings toward her father’s 
successor would not be natural unless that successor were 
well calculated to inspire such a sentiment. Let’s see how 
she will relish the idea of a permanent separation from such 
a successor,” thought the minister. 

“ Miss Mabel,” said he, turning his eyes to her face, and 
watching the expression as he spoke, I shall not, for the 
present at least, consent to become a successor of your 
father.” 


154 


J^EV. MR, DASHWELLy 


The color mounted to Mabel’s cheeks, and a glow of 
apparent pleasure overspread her face; a look of disap- 
pointment shaded Mr. Dashwell’s. Her first thought had 
been, then “father will still preach as usual.” His thought 
was, “she cares nothing for my absence.” But quickly the 
red disappeared from Mabel’s countenance, and a sad look 
succeeded the original smile. The true interpretation of 
this was that the thought occurred to her that her father 
could never consent to remain with an unwilling congrega- 
tion simply because his successor was unwilling to serve in 
his place. Mr. Dashwell flattered himself that he might 
find the meaning of her sadness in the thought that his 
refusal of a call involved their separation ; and his look of 
disappointment was gone, while the cosy parsonage again 
stood out brightly upon the camera. He grasped his whip 
and relieved the exhilaration which the idea had produced 
by skillfully beheading with the snapper, a huge dandelion 
which lifted its downy crest by the side of the road. 

A feeling of wonder next took possession of Mabel’s 
mind ; when she had for a moment considered the sudden 
announcement made by Mr. Dashwell, she replied : 

“ Your remark is certainly a surprise to me. It had 
been my impression, and I think it is that of most of the 
congregation, that you would accept a call to our church 
and she waited a moment as if for some further explanation 
from her companion. He, however, skillful general that 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON, 155 

he was, had thrown it out as a bomb-shell, merely to draw 
the fire of the enemy ; therefore he prudently kept silence. 
Mabel continued, If you are influenced to refuse a call 
simply from an unwillingness to supersede my father, when 
all other reasons would induce you to accept it, are you not 
making a mistake in so doing? For you should remember 
that if the congregation have really decided upon a change, 
it will probably be made even though you should refuse to 
accept. Besides, I hardly think that father, much as he 
loves his people and pastorate, would be willing to remain 
simply because a successor has refused to come only from 
a feeling of sympathy for him. If, therefore, you are the 
choice of the peo23le, why should you not succeed my 
father rather than another 

The cosy parsonage was standing out in bold relief. 
‘‘A little more reconnoitering, and I may venture upon 
a direct attack,’’ thought Mr. Dashwell. “ I might con- 
sent to become a colleague of your father, but not his 
successor,” said he. 

Mabel hesitated a while before answering. 

‘‘I have no authority to speak for my father in this 
matter. I think I may say, however, that if your kind 
feelings toward him lead you to make this proposition, he 
will not fail to appreciate your motives. Whether he 
would be willing to remain as a colleague, when the people 
desire a successor, I should think doubtful.” 


156 


J^£F. MR, DASHWELL, 


The vision of the cosy parsonage had grown no more 
distinct from the last answer of Mabel. The minister de- 
termined by a bold push to make the structure a reality. 
He was annoyed, however, at his want of success in prob- 
ing the heart of an unsophisticated girl without first 
disclosing the secrets of his own. In his perplexity he 
would have given much for a few words of counsel and 
comfort from his friend Joe. The very frankness of 
Mabel, and her evident freedom from any suspicion of 
his design, made him nervous. 

Again he was aiming at the daisy heads, too intent upon 
this occupation to longer study the face of his companion 
and observe the effect of the remark he was about to make. 

“ Miss Mabel,’’ said he, at last, with a strange tone of 
voice, ‘‘your father may refuse me as a colleague; but 
permit me to ask, may I not look for one in another 
quarter?” 

Had Mr. Dash well been watching Mabel’s countenance 
instead of the daisies, he would have discovered there 
nothing to brighten the picture of the cosy parsonage. 
He was conscious that his proposition was made in an 
awkward, almost in a cowardly, form. He had concealed 
under a metaphor a proposal wdiich he had hardly the 
courage to express in plain terms, and he was imposing 
upon his companion the necessity of answering with the 
risk of misunderstanding his meaning. Such a misunder- 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 157 

Standing in fact occurred. With entire innocence of a 
suspicion of his meaning, with some surprise it is true at 
his remark, as no further explanation was offered, Mabel 
answered : 

“I hardly understand you, Mr. Dashwell. I thought 
that your design in proposing my father as a colleague was 
solely to gratify him. Beyond accomplishing this I sup- 
posed you had no desire nor necessity for a colleague.’’ 

“I observe you do not yet understand me,” said Mr. 
Dashwell, with a reddened face, still searching carefully 
for daisies far over on his side of the road. 

‘‘ Will you not explain ?” said Mabel, now with positive 
wonder. 

The red disappeared, and a chalky wniteness overspread 
his face as now, with a desperate resolve, he turned his 
eyes directly upon Mabel’s. 

‘‘ The question I asked you,” said he, was awkwardly 
perhaps, and certainly not plainly, expressed. It was an 
abrupt one, and probably will seem so to you when you 
understand its meaning; but it is a serious, sincere, and 
earnest request which I now make to you. It is this, my 
dear Miss Mabel, that I may obtain your consent to your- 
self becoming my partner or colleague for life.” 

The minister’s cosy par? onage vanished like the mirage 
of the desert, and he saw it no more. He saw instead 
before him a living, beautiful, pale face, as if chiseled 

14 


158 


REV. MR, DASIIWELL, 


from marble, the lips compressed, the eyes, always before 
mild, often laughing, now brilliant, and almost stern with 
wonder and pity. Never before had it appeared to him so 
fascinating, perhaps for the reason that he saw in it no 
hope for himself. 

‘‘Mr. Dash well,” said Mabel, when she had recovered 
the power of speech, “I now fully understand your pro- 
posal ; but until the present moment, believe me, I never 
suspected that you had, nor indeed would be likely to have 
any intention of making such a proposition. AVill you 
not allow me now to say, with the utmost kind feeling and 
sincere friendship, that I truly regret that it has ever been 
made T 

The beautiful being by his side, against whose fascina- 
tions his friend Joe had solemnly warned him to be on 
his guard, to whom, even an hour before, he had been 
hesitating to express his sentiments, lest thereby he might 
become entangled in an unprofitable alliance from which 
he might desire finally to withdraw, now appeared to him 
a most desirable prize, perhaps hopelessly beyond his reach. 
Notwithstanding Mabel’s friendly expressions and evident 
kind feeling toward him, the supposed ignominy and dis- 
grace of defeat made him more than’ ever determined, if 
possible, to win. Strategy had failed even to protect him- 
self, and was now useless. He felt that if Mabel’s heart 
was to be captured at all, it must be taken by storm. 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 159 

“ Mabel,” said Mr. Dash well, with white lips, and with 
an earnestness of manner in striking contrast with the 
frivolity which often characterized him, my proposal was 
plainly unexpected by you; but will you not give me 
credit for sincerity ?” 

I do not doubt its sincerity, and I am not insensible of 
the honor you propose for me,” said Mabel ; but let us 
both try to forget that it has ever been made, and let not 
what has occurred interrupt for the future the friendship 
which has so long existed between us.” 

Mr. Dash well now determined to make his last desperate 
stroke, and he could not avoid a feeling of contempt for 
himself as he did so. 

‘^Miss Mabel,” said he, do you fully consider the 
effect of your determination upon your father’s prospects 
in the church? I need not tell you how it can affect 
them.” 

For the first time in his recollection Mr. Dash well saw 
a flash of anger mingled -with scorn overspread the coun- 
tenance of Mabel. 

Could you accept the hand of one who would yield it 
without her heart, led only by such a consideration as you 
have offered ?” she answered. 

There was silence for a time. Mr. Dashwell was the 
first to speak. 

May I ask you one question ?” 

Mabel nodded. 


IGO 


MR. DASHWELL. 


‘‘ Have your affections already been engaged by another?” 

Although I may not feel it my duty to answer that 
question, yet I will do so in the hope it may give you 
satisfaction for the disappointment I have unwillingly 
caused you. I answer that to a certain extent they have.” 

‘‘One question more I would like to ask,” said Mr. 
Dash well, with a reddened face. “May I request you 
never to reveal to any one the occurrences of this drive ?” 

“ Such a request was unnecessary. You may be assured 
I never wilL” 

The minister touched his horse with his whip, and in 
silence the remaining mile of the ride was quickly passed. 
As the shades of evening were falling, Mabel bade “ Good- 
night” at the parsonage gate to Mr. Dashwell, who gal- 
lantly raised his hat with his old time flourish, while she 
ascended the steps of the porch with a heavy heart. 


CHAPTER XIII. 


CEIkt iijmore teiiip Sit^IcESirat lottos. 

For some reason the young minister did not find it easy 
to sleep on the night following the drive with Mabel. It 
was not so much the keenness of disappointment which dis- 
turbed his slumbers as the consciousness of defeat. Master 
of amatory strategy as he felt himself to be, he had been 
outgeneraled by an unsophisticated girl without any effort, 
and almost without consciousness on her part. In his very 
first engagement he had met his Waterloo. He did not 
admit that he particularly cared for, nor would miss the 
prize for which he had striven, and which he had failed to 
win, for he knew of another in some respects more desi- 
rable, which he thought he could easily secure; but he felt 
that he had been wounded where he considered himself 
invulnerable. His vanity had received not a death-blow, 
to be sure, but a severe shock, and was suffering from 
collapse, as he turned from side to side of his usually com- 
fortable bed. The bright light of the full moon filled his 
room. He arose and closed the blinds, but darkness and 
light were alike to him ; he could not sleep. The music 
of a solitary mosquito disturbed him, and, he tried to 
believe, contributed materially to his wakefulness. He 

( 161 ) 




102 


MR, DASIIWELL, 


heard the strokes of the bell from the tower of the old 
First Presbyterian until three o’clock had been sounded. 
Then he arose, lighted his cigar, opened the blinds, and 
seating himself in the moonlight he smoked and meditated 
until the light of the Sabbath morning was dawming in the 
east. As he did so, a consciousness of his great mistake 
was made clear to his mind. It was his neglect to heed 
the warning of his friend Joe never to throw himself 
away.’’ He had yielded too much to a sudden impulse, to 
a temporary fancy, had allowed the transitory fascinations 
of the beautiful face of Mabel to outweigh the more per- 
manent and substantial charms of Miss Pinch. He had 
played the part of the love-sick hero of a romance rather 
than of the prudent man of the world. He resolved that 
the lesson taught him by his unfortunate experience should 
not be in vain. Even its disgrace and humiliation he saw 
might yet prove to him a blessing sent in disguise, should 
he suitably improve the occasion. In the dim light of that 
quiet Sabbath morning, as the incense from his fragrant 
cigar gracefully ascended to the ceiling he determined to 
so improve it by at once offering to Miss Pinch the hand 
and heart which Mabel had spurned. He next decided 
upon his plans for the future. They were somewhat differ- 
ent from those of the day before. He resolved, at the end 
of his year as stated supply, to leave the church of Hamp- 
ton. Several motives would induce him to take this step. 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 163 

He believed that his talents would soon open for him a 
wider field of usefulness in a larger church. He felt that 
the primitive orthodox views of the congregation he now 
represented did not fully coincide with his more modern 
ideas of church progress and extension. There was another 
thought also which presented itself to his mind, but which 
he did not admit influenced his decision. It was that the 
presence of Mabel, his constant liability to meet her, as 
would be the case if he remained at Hampton, would be a 
perpetual reminder of the first great failure of his life. 
Not that he feared that the secret which now belonged 
only to himself and to her might become public property ; 
he had too much confidence in her integrity and sense of 
propriety for such a supposition ; but he knew neverthe- 
less that her presence would render one of his sensitive 
temperament uncomfortable. The clock struck four, the 
light of day was showing itself in the east when the min- 
ister threw himself once more upon his bed and slept 
till the sunlight was streaming in ^t the window. 

When he appeared as usual at the breakfast-tablo, 
dusky semicircles under the eyes were the only indication 
that his rest had not been entirely undisturbed through 
the night. Nothing in his manner toward Mabel showed 
that he had the slightest consciousness or recollection of 
the occurrences of the day before. He was as cordial, 
polite, affable, and effusive as ever. He talked glibly 


J^EV. MR, DASHWELL, 


16 t 

with the old doctor of the pleasures of the drive and of 
the beauties of the country through which they had 
passed. Dr. Woodbridge was pleased to hear of that 
which he supposed must have afforded much pleasure 
to his daughter, but she took no part in the conversation. 

Why, Mabel,’’ said he, ‘‘you have entirely forgotten to 
tell me anything about your excursion yesterday.” 

“ The day was a beautiful one, father,” she answered, 
and then became silent as the blood mounted to her cheeks. 

The old minister was puzzled, while the young one 
adroitly turned the conversation to another topic. 

At the church that day Mr. Dashwell entered the pulpit 
for the first time since his accident. At the close of the 
service he met his friend Domore, and requested him to 
call in the afternoon at his study. 

Elder Domore called, as he had been invited. He found 
the minister lying upon his back on a lounge smoking a 
long pipe, whose stem and bowl were contrived to accom- 
modate one in a recumbent position. 

“Domore,” said Mr. Dashwell, “I have something to 
tell you which will take you by surprise. I have made 
up my mind to leave the church here at the end of the 
year and he turned to notice the effect of the announce- 
ment upon his friend. 

Elder Domore seemed somewhat grave, to be sure, but 
not particularly surprised. He hesitated a moment, and 
was commencing to answer. 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 165 

Yes, I know about the affair. I intended to have” — 

You know it ; the deuce you do !” said the Rev. Mr. 
Dashwell, starting up from the lounge in astonishment. 
“ How should you know it ? I have only known it myself 
for a few hours. What have you beard? Has Miss 
Mabel” — and the minister cut the sentence short abruptly, 
for he knew that it was impossible that Elder Domore 
could have learned anything of the occurrence of the 
previous afternoon, which he was conscious really led 
himself to the determination he had made. 

I did not learn the fact from Miss Mabel nor her father. 
Indeed, I did not know that they, nor even that you your- 
self, had yet heard of it. I was expecting to be obliged 
to make the announcement to you. In fact I have only 
known it myself since last night,” said Elder Domore. 

“Now, Domore, your talk is all a riddle to me,” said the 
minister ; “ I do not understand you at all. When I spoke 
of leaving, it was of my own voluntary determination to go, 
only just made. Now, w^on’t you please explain what you 
know or have heard about the matter?” 

“Well, then, Mr. DashAvell, I see that I must tell you, 
after all. What I was expecting to say to you is this: 
that the session, in spite of all I can do, have suddenly 
become quite cranky. Pinch has joined the enemy, and at 
an informal meeting last night, it was about concluded that 
you should not receive any further invitation to remain 


166 


J^jSV. MR. DASHWELL, 


Avhen your year is up. I suppose Wentworth is at the 
bottom of it all; but he seems to have securely hooked 
Pinch, and with him of course go Abel and the rest, and 
our jig is up.’^ 

As Mr. Dashwell was gaining this new information from 
his friend, he had dropped his pipe, risen from the lounge, 
and was walking nervously about the room. Although he 
had just before announced his determination to leave, it 
had formed no part of the programme that he should go 
involuntarily. A spirit of opposition was aroused at once, 
and he determined, if possible, that such should not be the 
case. 

‘‘ Domsnse,” said he, ‘‘ what you tell me takes me com- 
pletely by surprise ; I knew and suspected nothing of the 
kind. I proposed when I left the church to go of my own 
accord, and I tell you I do not now propose to be kicked 
out if I can help it. I understand you to say that this 
affair, after all, depends upon the determination of old 
Pinch r 

‘‘ I think Pinch could turn the scale if he chose,” said 
Elder Domore. 

The minister walked the floor for a few minutes in 
silence, Appearing to be studying the figures in the carpet, 
and nervously pulled and twirled his long mustache, as if 
extracting ideas by the process. Suddenly he came to a 
halt, and said to the elder : 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 


167 


here, Domore, please keep quiet on this subject, 
and say nothing of what I told you about my own inten- 
tions. Just leave the Pinch matter to me. If he can 
control the session, I think I know how I can control him 
long enough for my purpose at all events. I know of a 
trump card I can play so far as he is concerned. 1 can’t 
tell you what it is just now, Domore ; but I think I can 
convert the old sinner.” 

It may be proper to state that the trump card on which 
Mr. Dashwell relied was an immediate proposal to Miss 
Pinch. Notwithstanding his recent failure in an expe- 
rience of this kind, he felt sure of success in his present 
undertaking, unless Miss Pinch was more of a coquette 
than he thought probable. A present engagement he 
believed would be all that would be necessary to secure 
the support of Elder Pinch in the session. His future 
course might be determined, he thought, by circumstances. 
If the affair should become too distasteful, or if he should 
find upon further inquiry that it would not be so profitable 
pecuniarily as it now seemed, he knew some pretext could 
easily be found for letting the matter drop. He thought, 
however, that the proposed step should be taken at once ; 
for Pinch should be convinced that his intentions toward 
his daughter were sincere and in earnest, or as the idea 
occurred to his mind, “that he meant business,” before 
the regular meeting of the session when the question of a 
call would be officially acted upon. 


168 


UTiV. MR. DASH WELL, 


“ Domore,” said he, with a more cheerful countenance 
than he had worn since the conversation commenced, “ I 
mean to get that call, for my reputation is at stake wdth 
the church ; but when I get it I mean to reject it peremp- 
torily. It would never do for a young fellow like myself 
to be black-balled at the very beginning of his ministry. 
When I am sure that this will not happen, see if I don’t 
give your old church the cold shoulder. Of course you 
won’t mention that now, but help me all you can in the 
session. I’ll manage Pinch, trust me for that and the 
minister struck a match, and relighting his pipe, which 
had gone out, threw himself on the lounge once more. 

But, now, Dashwell,” said Elder Domore, why need 
you leave the church at all if you can bring Pinch around, 
as you think you will, and secure a call ? In such a case 
wouldn’t you think the indications of Providence rather 
in favor of your remaining?” 

The minister slightly shrugged his shoulders, as if he 
thought the elder was using a cant phrase which w'ould do 
very well in the session-room, but was entirely unnecessary 
betw^een tW'O old cronies like themselves, who understood 
each other’s motives thoroughly. 

‘‘ Domore, I tell you plainly that the indications of the 
particular kind of Providence that I have been meeting in 
the last forty-eight hours are very distinctly that I should 
vamose the rancho as soon as I can do it creditably to 


‘ THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON^, 


1G9 


myself. Of course I am sorry to leave you, old fellow^ 
and all that; but I am going, if for no other reason, be- 
cause I have been in such danger of being sent away. I 
have one or two other private reasons of my own, but 
please don’t ask me what they are now. Believe me, they 
are good enough to satisfy me. When the time comes for 
you to announce a reason, you may say about what you 
like ; that the air is too strong, or that I am getting the 
minister’s sore throat ; that’s in fashion, I believe. Now, 
here’s my text, ‘ I shall go, and I don’t mean to be kicked 
out.’ I will hatch up a sermon to fit it when the occasion 
calls for one. But now really, Domore, what reason does 
old Pinch give for going back on me in this style ?” 

‘^Well,” said Elder Domore, /‘you know the old man 
is always looking out for the dollars and cents, as I told 
you when you came here. He wants the pews filled * up 
with those Avho will pay. Now he says, for one thing, 
that those who come to hear your style of preaching don’t 
seem to take pews, or if they take them they don’t pay for 
them. Besides, you know, he sticks to the old-fashioned 
ideas about the sacredness of the ministerial profession, 
and he didn’t seem to think it just the thing that you 
should get your leg broken on a race-course.” 

“ No, I suppose not. Still the old fool knows very well 
that I was not at all anxious to have that accident happen. 
I would be perfectly willing that Pinch should have had 

15 


170 


MR. DASHWELL, 


all the pleasure I experienced from that race, instead of 
myself; and the consequences, too, for that matter. I 
wouldn't have been jealous," said Mr. Dash well. 

‘‘Then, too," continued the elder, “while Pinch some- 
how has got the notion that you are old-fashioned and 
illiberal in your ideas of infant salvation. Pinch on the 
other hand seems lately to have adopted the views of 
^yentworth about ‘sensationalism in the pulpit,' as it is 
called here. He says that the congregation may relish 
that sort of food occasionally, but would not like to 
adopt it as a permanent diet; and he is inclined to go 
back to the dry husks of the old doctor, for a time at 
least. So I suppose if you should leave we shall have 
Dr. Woodbridge in the pulpit for a few years longer, 
unless a kind Providence should remove him earlier. By 
the way, that reminds me; have you heard the latest 
gossip in the congregation concerning the old doctor's 
daughter and yourself?" 

“ No," said Mr. Dashwell, blushing from his cravat to 
the roots of his hair and the circumference of his ears; but 
turning with an appearance of great interest to his friend. 
“ What's out now ?" 

“ Why, perhaps you may never have heard of them, 
but there have been rumors before of an engagement be- 
tween yourself and Miss Mabel, and to-day I heard it 
spoken of as a positive fact,'" said Elder Domore. 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 171 

The minister appeared so much confused tliat Domore 
was at first inclined to believe that there might really be 
some foundation for the report he had heard. 

‘‘ Now, then, Domore, you don’t pretend to believe every 
rumor of that kind you may hear iu this congregation, do 
you ?” said Mr. Dash well, recovering his self-possessiou, 
and appearing quite at ease again. “That report is not 
true; not much. You see that I am so situated here that 
I have to show the old doctor’s daughter a little attention 
occasionally ; that’s all. By the way, I think I can guess 
what gave rise to the positive report you heard this morn- 
ing. You know that when I exercise my horse I occasion- 
ally take one of the girls along with me for company. 
Well, yesterday I took Miss Mabel, and 1 suppose it was 
noticed by some of the gossips of the congregation ; but it 
didn’t result in an engagement, not exactly,” and the min- 
ister took a long whilf from his pipe, and then skillfully 
emitted from his mouth one after the other a number of 
circles of smoke, which rose gracefully to the ceiling. 
“No; Domore, when that engagement occurs I will make 
the announcement to you myself,” said he, with a slight 
wink of the eye nearest to his friend. 


CHAPTEE XIV. 


fji:. aiiij llaria |iac| talit a grilif. 

As Mabel was sitting at the front window of the par- 
sonage on the afternoon of Monday, the second day after 
her conversation and her drive with Mr. Dashwell, she 
saw that gentleman once more driving his gay horse 
through the street. In the phjeton at the minister’s side 
sat Miss Pinch. As the establishment passed the par- 
sonage, Miss Pinch bowed with a gracious and somewhat 
triumphant smile to Mabel, while her companion lifted 
his hat with a flourish. They passed the house, turned, 
and repassed, and disappeared from view far down the 
main road leading out into the country. 

It was about eight o’clock in the evening of the same 
day that Miss Pinch was sitting in her own room at the 
open bay window. The bright light of the moon was 
quivering through the boughs of the tall elms which 
stood in front of the Pinch mansion. It covered with 
silver the aristocratic front, it fell upon the upturned 
face of the young heiress, and gave to her usually florid 
and healthful countenance quite the appearance of chiseled 
marble. Pier face was resting upon her hand, her elbow 
was supported by the wide window-sill. She w^as gazing 
upward toward the moon and the stars in its immediate 
( 172 ) 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON I73 

vicinity, and appeared to be engaged in profound medita- 
tion. One accustomed to study her countenance would 
infer that the subject of her thoughts was rather pleasant 
than sorrowful. She was awaiting the answ^er to a note 
which she had despatched to her friend, Miss Abel, as 
follows : 

‘‘My Dearest Jenny: 

“ Please come over to-night. I would come and see you, 
but I am so tired. I have so much to tell you. Do come. 
Your loving Maria.” 

There was a ring of the door bell, and presently a servant 
ascended the stairs, knocked at the door, and handed Miss 
Pinch a note. She turned on the gas, opened the deli- 
cately-scented paper, and read the answer to her message. 
It was : 

“ Dearest Maria : 

“ I will come immediately. As ever, your loving 

“Jenny.” 

Miss Pinch had just darkened the room and seated her- 
self in the old position in the moonlight, when the bell rang 
again, and shortly after Miss Abel entered the room. She 
found her friend so absorbed in thought that for a few 
moments her own entrance seemed not to have been per- 
ceived. She had even approached, and was standing by 
the side of Miss Pinch, when suddenly that young lady 
15^ 


174 


MR. DASHWELL, 


seemed to descend to earth from her ethereal wanderings, 
and to recognize her visitor. 

“Oh, my dear Jenny,’’ said she, rising, putting her 
arms around the neck of her friend, and giving her a 
kiss; “now, do come and sit by me in the light of the 
moon ; it is so much pleasanter than any other and she 
drew her confidante and intimate friend from early girl- 
hood close to her side on the lounge, with an arm clasped 
around her waist. “ Oh, Jenny, I have so much to tell 
you to-night.” 

For some moments conversation ceased at this point. 
The moon still shone brightly through the window, rest- 
ing upon the two friends clasped in each other’s embrace, 
upon the elegant furniture and the rich carpets purchased 
with the gold of Elder Pinch, and seemed, with its mellow 
light, to encouragQ confidential communications between 
two such romantic young ladies as Miss Pinch and Miss 
Abel. Indeed, long had it been understood between the 
couple that they should confess one to the other affairs 
of the heart and in fact for many years past all that 
pertained to that organ with either had been comm.on 
property with both. But now, as the decisive moment 
approached. Miss Pinch seemed to hesitate, until Miss 
Abel whispered : 

“ Tell me all, dearest.” 

M iss Pinch turned her face once more upward toward 


THE AEIV MINISTER AT //A MR TON. 175 

the moon, as if to gather inspiration from that luminary 
for the effort she was about to make. Now, Jenny,’’ she 
said, at last, ‘^you know I have always promised to tell 
you first of all ; but now that the time has come, my 
courage almost fails, my heart is all of a flutter.” 

‘‘ Never mind, Maria ; poor child !” said Miss Abel ; 
“ I think I can guess. He has made a declaratiou, now 
hasn’t he?” 

Miss Pinch nodded in silence. 

And you are engaged ?” said Miss Abel. 

The only answer Miss Pinch made was to give her 
friend a hearty kiss. And again the young lady seemed 
in spirit to have left the Pinch mansion, and to be dwell- 
ing among the clouds which were slowly drifting over the 
face of the moon. 

Once more Miss Abel w^aited sufficiently long for her 
friend to finish her aerial flight and return to her father’s 
house, when she said, in quite a positive tone : 

‘‘ Nowq Maria, tell me all about it.” 

“Well, then,” said Miss Pinch, recovering her old-time 
manner of expressron and tone of voice, “I will tell you 
what happened. This morning Mr. Dashwell — I mean 
James, for I suppose I ought to call him by that name. 
now — sent me a little note, asking for the pleasure of my 
company to take a drive this afternoon. He said that 
after the exhausting labors of the preceding Sabbath, he 


176 


J^EV, MR, DASmVELL, 


felt that he needed a little recreation, and that it would 
add so much to the pleasure of the excursion if I would 
accompany him, and all that, you know, Jenny. AVell, I 
knew that he had taken Mabel AVoodbridge out only last 
Saturday, and I thought it would be a good chance to 
show her that she was not the only one that Mr. Dash — , 
James showed such attentions to. I will tell how I did it. 
AVhen we started, I. told James that I would like to drive 
past Judge AVentworth’s to see if his magnolia was in 
bloom yet. Of course W3 had to pass the parsonage, and 
who should be sitting in the window but Mabel AVood- 
bridge. Didn’t she look surprised and jealous! but she 
only bowed in her old way, you know, and pretended to 
be as indifferent as ever. AA^on’t she be taken aback when 
she hears of our engagement !” 

‘‘Now, Maria,” said Miss Abel, “didn’t I tell you on 
Saturday that Mabel could never succeed there unless you 
were willing she should ? But we didn’t think then this 
would happen quite so soon, did we, love?” and Miss Abel 
thought it a proper occasion to give her friend a fresh kiss. 

“ Indeed, we did not,” said Aliss Pinch, pressing her 
companion closer to her side, but turning her face once 
more in a heavenward direction. 

“AVhat happened next?” said Miss Abel, hastily. 

“AVell, we started and drove out on the midland road 
several miles. You know how delightful this afternoon 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 1Y7 

was. Mr. Dash — James was so pleasant and sociable, 
talked about our societies, and the church, and thanked 
me for taking the position of directress of so many of 
them ; said that only a pastor or a minister could appre- 
ciate properly the assistance of the ladies, and especially 
the young ladies of the church, could afford ; and he talked 
in that kind of a way, you know, for a while. When we 
were driving through the long wood he commenced talking 
about Mabel Woodbridge, said that he had passed over 
the same road with her on Saturday afternoon. I said 
rather sharply, ‘Yes, Mr. Dashwell, and 1 suppose you 
had a very pleasant time.’ He yawned a little, and spoke 
as if he didn’t take much interest in the matter. ‘Oh, 
yes, quite pleasant;’ then he went on to say, ‘You know 
that Miss Woodbridge has been very kind to me in my 
illness, and I felt that I should make some return so far as 
I could conveniently do so ; but, can you believe it, Miss 
Pinch, Elder Domore mentioned to me that there is a 
report in the church that I am engaged to Miss Wood- 
bridge.’ Then he asked me if I had ever heard of such a 
rumor, and he looked at me in a rather serious, sad way, 
as if he felt hurt that people should misunderstand his 
kindness toward Mabel Woodbridge. I tried to comfort 
the dear man, and told him that people would talk, and 
that the Hampton church was quite a place for gossip, and 
though such reports might be circulated, yet sensible per- 


178 


J^EV. ME. DASHWELL, 


sons would not misunderstand his politeness to Mabel 
Woodbridge; that they must know that his connection 
with old Dr. Woodbridge’s household made it almost 
necessary that he should show Mabel some little attention. 
He looked at me so pleasantly, Jenny, and said that he 
was glad that one person at least could understand him ; 
and, do you believe it, Jenny, he said that if he only knew 
that I could do so, he cared little what the rest of the 
congregation thought of such a report as that.^’ 

“ Did he say that, now, Maria ?” said Miss Abel, hug- 
ging her friend a little more closely. ‘‘Why, that in 
itself amounted almost to a declaration. What would 
Mabel Woodbridge have thought of that remark, I would 
like to know ? Didn’t I tell you so ?” 

“Those were his very words,” said Miss Pinch. “I 
hardly knew how to understand the' dear fellow at first. 
My heart was all in a flutter, so that I could not say 
anything ; but he looked so serious and sad and trustful 
that I knew he meant all that he said, and more, too. He 
went on to say, ‘ Miss Woodbridge is a beautiful girl, or 
at least most people would call her so; but don’t you 
think. Miss Pinch, that she is a little distant and cold- 
hearted?’ I hardly knew how to answer, Jenny, for I 
wasn’t going to flatter Mabel to the minister, and yet I 
didn’t want him to think I was at all jealous, so I said : 
‘ You know that is her manner, Mr. Dashwell. It is her 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 179 


nature; she cannot help it; but she means nothing by it, 
perhaps/ ‘ Well,’ he said, ‘but such a nature could never 
suit me. I want a warm heart, and no matter how beau- 
tiful, how polished, a young lady may be, without that she 
can never be anything to me,’ and then he looked right in 
my face again with one of his sweet, sad smiles. I knew that 
Mabel had no chance at all ; but I felt so confused myself 
that I did not know how to answer. I know I must have 
looked red in the face, for James began to blush, too. He 
had to turn away and take his whip and amuse himself by 
striking at the flowers and clover heads by the side of the 
road until his face looked natural again. Then, can you 
believe it, Jenny, he called me his dearest, put his arm 
around — well, no matter, but he said he would like to ask 
of me a greater favor than he had ever asked of mortal 
before.” 

“Then he could never have proposed to any one else 
before at any time, could he ?” remarked Miss Abel. 

“ Jenny, I couldn’t speak. I know I must have looked 
as red as a beet. I only nodded an answer to his request. 
Well, he went on to say a number of other sweet little 
things. I wish I could remember them all, Jenny, for 
your sake, but I am sure I never could repeat them half 
as beautifully as he said them.” 

“ What did you say, Maria?” 

“Well, now, Jenny, I really don’t know what I did say. 


180 


MR, DASmVELL, 


or whether I really said anything at all. I suppose I 
must have acted in some silly way, I was so confused ; but 
James seemed to think it was all right, for he drew me 
closer to him and put his face — well, never mind — you 
know, Jenny/' 'and Miss Pinch gave her friend a fresh hug 
and an emphatic kiss. 

Yes, Maria, I think I can understand." 

‘‘Well, at any rate, Jenny, the very next moment he 
said: ‘We understand each other now, dearest, do we 
not ?' those were the exact words. I shall never forget 
them as long as I live." 

The two friends rested in each other's arms and in the 
bright moonlight for several minutes in complete silence. 
Miss Abel was the first to break it. 

“ Is that all, Maria ?" 

“ That's all, Jenny." 

“ So you are engaged ?" 

. “Well, I suppose James so understands it; for after- 
ward on the way home he spoke of our engagement in 
quite a business-like manner, and of the propriety of 
making it known at once to father. He said he should 
of course make a formal request for my hand at the proper 
time, but he seemed to be very anxious that father should 
hear of it privately this very evening, even before the ses- 
sion meeting, he said. ' I hardly know the reason for this 
haste ; but I suppose that love is impetuous, and that the 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON, 181 

• dear fellow wants to be sure all is right. He explained his 
request by saying that he had peculiar views with regard 
to filial obligations, and he thought that our duty to 
parents required an immediate announcement of such an 
important step as a matrimonial engagement.’’ 

“Have you told your father, Maria?” 

“ 'No, Jenny, I have not done so yet. I meant to this 
evening, before he went to the meeting of the session, but 
my courage failed. I did succeed in telling him that I 
had taken a very pleasant ride with Mr. Dashwell this 
afternoon. Father only asked if it was around the race- 
course, and if the minister had broken his leg again ; so 
I didn’t feel much encouragement to tell him the rest of 
the story about the drive. But I may get a chance to- 
morrow, and I think that will do as well. 


CHAPTER XV. 


|im m'h |0{. 

A FEW days after the matrimonial engagement of Mr. 
Dash well and Miss Pinch, the Rev. Joe, who was still an 
unsettled candidate waiting for some prominent church to 
call for his services, received a short note from his old 
chum James Dash well. It contained an urgent request 
that he should come immediately to Hampton. Joe in- 
ferred from the nature of the communication that some- 
thing unusual had occurred, and in a few hours after the 
note was received he stood knocking at the door of Mr. 
Dashwelhs study in the Hampton parsonage. He heard 
a somewhat indistinct “ Come in and he entered. He 
found his friend Dashwell stretched upon a lounge, and 
apparently hardly noticing his entrance instead of spring- 
ing to meet him with his old-time hearty welcome and 
cordial grasp of the hand. Mr. Dashwell deliberately 
turned his eyes upon his old chum, and said, in a feeble 
tone of voice : 

Joe, are you still able to recognize your old friend 
‘‘Well, Jim, perhaps I might if I tried very hard,” an- 
swered Joe ; “ you seem about the same old thing as when 
I saw you a few weeks ago, only perhaps a little more 
( 182 ) 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 183 

hollow and dark around the eyes and white about the 
gills. A little bilious, I suppose. How long have 3^ou 
been sick ?” 

Joe,’’ said Mr. Dashwell, with a solemn countenance, 
and in a sepulchral tone, you see before you a broken- 
down man.” 

‘‘ Nonsense, Jim ; when were you taken, and what’s the 
matter ?” 

^AVell, the first shock came last Saturday afternoon; 
but I have had two or three strokes since.” 

What kind of a shock ; what do you mean by strokes ? 
You havn’t been paralyzed, I hope, Jim.” 

No, that’s not it,” said Jim, lugubriously, and wdth a 
melancholy shake of the head. 

What is it, then ? Cholera, chills ?” 

Not right yet, Joe. ' The truth is, I have had trouble, 
great trouble, since I saw you, and I’ve sent for you to 
talk the matter over. I knew you would be Vv’illing to 
come, and really I did not feel able to go to see you.” 

Come, now, cheer up, old boy. I don’t believe you are 
half as bad^ as you seem to think; you’ve got the blues a 
little, that’s all. Tell me whep your cigars are, and then 
let me know what’s the matter.” 

There, chum, in that box on the table. Help yourself.” 

Thank you, Jim,” said Joe, stepping to the table and 
putting his hand in the box. He fumbled in the bottom 


184 


J^EV. MR, DASHWELL, 


somewhat auxiously for half a minute, and said, withdraw- 
ing his hand, “Thank you, Jim, I never smoke; Tve 
sworn off/’ 

“Never smoke; not much you don’t!” said the Eev. Mr. 
Dashwell, suddenly forgetting his illness, springing to his 
feet, and looking in the cigar-box. “Excuse me, old 
fellow, but really I didn’t know that the box was empty. 
The fact is, my mind has been unhinged for a few days 
back, and I am losing my memory,” he continued, as he 
climbed a chair, reached to the top of his bookcase and 
brought down a fresh box of Havanas. “There, Joe, 
help yourself, perhaps they will last until we get through 
our conversation ;” and Mr. Dashwell himself lit a cigar, 
took an easy chair, elevated his heels upon the centre- 
table, and commenced smoking. “ Joe,” said he, after a 
few puffs, “ the sight of you makes me feel better already; 
but I tell you, chum, I have been badly down in the 
mouth for a week past.” 

“ What is it, Jim ? The church, the girls, or both ?” 

“ Both, Joe, both ; I am going to give up the ship here 
— shut up shop and clear out.” 

“No; Jim, you don’t tell^me that!” said Joe, with real 
surprise and sympathy for his friend. “ What’s happened 
now? Of course you go voluntarily.” 

“Well, hardly exactly, Joe. I thought I might manage 
to go in that style, but I find I have been tripped even in 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPl ON 185 

that ; everything seems to go wrong just now. Don’t you 
remember, chum, how you have warned me agaiust makiug 
a fool of myself by getting in love with the minister’s hand- 
some daughter, and going and throwing myself away ?” 

‘‘Yes, Jim, I remember,” said Joe, with a little feeling 
of pride at his perspicacity. 

“Well, Joe, I’ve been and gone and done it, that very 
thing, and that was the commencement of my afflictions, 
hardly a week ago.” 

“ Is that all ? Pshaw ! that’s nothing,” said Joe, feeling 
a little relieved. “ Its easy enough to rectify a mistake of 
that kind; its done every day. Let the matter simmer 
down and cool off gradually, and after a few weeks you 
can hatch up some excuse for breaking off the engage- 
‘ ment.” 

“ Oh, there don’t happen to be any necessity for break- 
ing it off in this case,” answered Jim, a little solemnly. 

“So you’ve broken it already? Or, chum, you don’t 
really mean to say that you’ve proposed and were rejec’’ 
— and Joe stopped abruptly, as if he thought the supposi- 
tion he was about to express in words was too humiliating 
to contemplate. 

“Were rejected; you’ve hit the nail on the head. I 
have to tell it to you to explain my story ; but • I know 
you won’t give it away,” said Mr. Dash well. 

“Now, Jim,” said Joe, with seriousness, almost with 
1 6 * 


186 


REV, MR, DASHWELE 


severity, I never would have believed that of you ; you 
must have been extremely careless. Couldn’t you have 
told which way the land lay without committing yourself? 
Jim, I must confess I should be sorry for you if I did not 
think you richly deserved it.” 

That’s right, chum ; pitch into me ; I’ll take it all 
without a murmur. Its one of the dispensations of Provi- 
dence sent, I suppose, to educate me for better things in 
the future. That’s just what I thought, and I tried to 
reform and do works meets for repentence ; but I’ve been 
tripped a second time.” 

“How’s that?” asked Joe. 

“ Why, I immediately afterward proposed to Miss Pinch,” 
said Jim. 

“And were rejected again, by thunder!” said Joe, slap- 
ping his thigh with emphasis. “ Nw, Jim, you must 
excuse me, but I believe you when you say your mind 
is a little unhinged. Twice in a week, by Jove! If it 
wasn’t such a serious matter for you, old fellow, it would 
be laughable.” 

“But I wasn’t rejected the second time. Worse than 
that,” said the minister. 

“ Now, Jim, just tell me what you mean, and don’t keep 
me in su&pense. How worse ?” 

“ Why, I am engaged to Miss Pinch.” 

There was silence for a little while, when Joe broke it 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 187 

by saying : I shan’t say another word nor ask another 
question until you explain yourself.” 

‘‘ Well, chum, I will make a clean breast of the whole 
matter, for I need the advice of such a tried friend as you. 
Last Saturday afternoon I was out for a drive with Mabel 
Woodbridge. As I think of the matter now, I cannot 
imagine how I came to make such a fool of myself, as you 
express it, as I did on that occasion. I had no intention 
of doing so when I started, but I suppose it was one of 
those cases of sudden infatuation or moral insanity which 
all men may become the victims of under such circum- 
stances. There were no substantial reasons why I should 
offer myself to her at that time. It was a mere fancy; 
now, Joe, the possibility of a refusal never seriously en- 
tered my mind. There was my first great mistake. I 
ought to have felt my way more carefully before commit- 
ting myself. To be sure, I thought I used ordinary care; 
but the girl was not so unsophisticated as I had supposed. 

♦ She was a little too many for me, Joe ; that is the long 
and short of it. I know that you despise me, but I can’t 
help it.” ^ 

‘‘ I wouldn’t say ‘ despise,’ Jim ; ‘ pity’ would be a more 
appropriate term,” said Joe, with a metaphysical air. 

“But, Joe, you ought to have seen the girl when she 
was presenting me with the mitten. Juno herself could 
not have done it in a more magnificent style. The worst 


188 MR, DASHWELL, 

of all was that she did not seem at all elated with the 
proposal; did not put on any airs about it; did not 
attempt to patronize me, but really seemed to pity me, 
and to wish to let me down as easy as possible. I declare, 
I couldn’t well stand that part of it. It was the most 
humiliating of all.” 

You have my heartfelt sympathy, Jim ; and, candidly, 
that is the only consolation I can offer. The affair is a 
bad one, make the best of it ; and really I must say you 
have only yourself to blame, for you must remember how 
often I have warned you. The only good I can see in it 
is that it may teach J^ou a useful lesson, and make you 
move with more caution in the future,” said Joe, philo- 
sophically. 

‘‘ I made up my mind that very night, as I lay awake 
thinking the matter over, that I would leave the old 
church altogether.” 

‘Y can’t say that I approve of that course, Jim. You 
should face the music and stand it through ; it v/ould be a 
useful discipline to you,” said Joe. 

“ But, chum, it was not the matrimonial disaster whic 
led me to this decision. The fact is, it is impossible to 
raise a breeze in this church. No matter what contri- 
vances I may resort to, and I believe- 1 have tried almost 
all the modern appliances for getting up an exciteijient, 
yet they don’t seem to work here. There isn’t the right 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 


189 


kind of material to work upon. The people have been so 
stiffened up by ol^ Dr. Woodbridge’s orthodox style of 
preaching that they cannot bend if they would like to. 
They don’t sensate worth a cent. They despise sensation, 
as they call it here. I tell you, Joe, its discouraging when 
you have carefully concocted some little tidbit particularly 
spicy and get it off in the pulpit not to see a single smile 
in the congregation, but instead to notice the faces of the 
old saints in the pews lengthening out till they look like 
yardsticks, and then turning around to the clock to see if 
it isn’t time for the sermon to be over. That’s the way 
here. To be sure outsiders will come in when you an- 
nounce sbmething extra fine, but they do not become 
permanent lodgers; next week they attend the Second 
Presbyterian, and the third the Universalist, and so on. 
I call them rounders ; they never hire pews, and that is 
what the old fogies here want. No, Joe, I have thought 
for some time that this old church is a little too ancient 
for me, and that I must look for another somewhat more 
impressible, and when this Mabel affair came up to cap 
the climax, I resolved to pack my trunk and leave for a 
more congenial climate. Of course I expected, however, 
to first get a permanent call, and then to decline with 
thanks.” 

I see,” said Joe. 

“ But here comes the second great stroke of adversity. 


190 


MR. DASHWELL, 


The very day after I was floored in my matrimonial pros- 
pects, Domore came in and informed me that old Pinch 
had gone back on me, and with him Abel, of course, and 
that in consequence a majority of the session would be 
against giving me a permanent call. The whole thing 
depended upon Pinch,” he said. 

Poor old fellow !” said Joe. 

‘‘ Who ? Pinch ?” asked Jim. 

‘‘No. I had reference to yourself,” answered his friend. 

“ I determined at once to convert Pinch to my side by 
contracting an immediate matrimonial engagement with 
his daughter. I knew I could do it just as easily as that,” 
and Mr. Dashwell illustrated by holding the palm of his 
hand upward and then suddenly reversing it. 

“ Good for you,” said Joe, encouragingly. 

“ But I had a precious little time to do it in, for the 
session w^as to meet the next evening. So on Monday 
afternoon I set out on another excursion with matrimony 
in view, taking Miss Pinch out for a drive this time. Now, 
Joe, I won’t trouble you to listen to an account of the 
nonsense of that expedition. It’s too flat. It is enough to 
say that before the end of it I won the young lady’s heart 
and engaged her hand without any trouble at all — too 
easily, in fact, to be satisfactory.” 

“ She’s the heiress, I understood you to say. Now you 
have something substantial. That back-hander from the 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 191 

minister’s daughter was only a blessing in disguise, after 
all. Jim, you’re stock is rising.” 

‘‘ I told the girl just as pointedly as I dared to, lest she 
should suspect the reason, to let her father know of our 
•engagement at once, that very evening before the session 
meeting.” 

“ And she didn’t do it, Jim ; I see through it all now. 
You can never trust a thing of that kind to the girjs. 
You should have attended to that yourself,” said Joe, with 
a grave shake of the head. 

“ I know it, Joe. Well, Domore told me the next day 
that my future father-in-law was down upon me with a 
vim — even more than old Wentworth himself. You know 
he is as obstinate as a mule, self-opinionated, and when he 
gets going to one side or the other he goes it with a rush, 
like a boat half full of water. Of course the majority of 
the session was against me, and it was decided to take no 
further action in the matter of stated supply. That gives 
me permission quietly to withdraw, while old Dr. Wood- 
bridge remains as pastor of the church.” 

Jim, things do begin to look a little squally, I must 
confess,” said Joe; “but don’t you think Pinch may come 
around when he learns of the son-in-law in store for him ?” 

“ Now, you come to the toughest part of the affair, the 
capsheaf of all. I called the day after the session meeting 
to ask the consent of the old gentleman to my proposed 


192 


MR. DASHWELL, 


alliance with his beautiful daughter, and to obtain his 
blessing. I supposed the first form in which this last 
would come would be in his advocacy of my claims upon 
the pulpit. He heard my announcement without appear- 
ing to be greatly surprised or elated. His daughter, it 
seems, had prepared him for the shock by divulging the 
afiair after the meeting of the session, instead of before as 
I had requested. I expatiated at some length upon the 
mutual attachment which had so long existed between his 
lovely daughter and myself. I informed him that wher- 
ever our lot might be cast, or whatever that lot might be, 
that attachment would evermore remain unaltered, and all 
that ; in fact, I think I did the thing up in ordinarily good 
style. Now, what answer do you suppose the old reprobate 
made T 

Can’t guess ; go ahead, chum,” said Joe. 

Well, he gave his consent of course; said if his daugh- 
ter was happy in her choice, it was not for him to interpose. 
He then went on to say that it might now be a proper time 
to state what had long been a subject of thought with him. 
It was his wish to found at Hampton a home for the aged 
and infirm. Providence had bountifully endowed him with 
this world’s goods, and it was his wish to bestow them upon 
some benevolent institution of the kind mentioned. His 
only impediment heretofore in so devising his property, 
was the circumstance that his daughter had not been pro- 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON, 193 

vided for. Until he saw her settled in a comfortable home 
and beyond the reach of penury, he had felt it his duty to 
reserve a portion of his estate for the possible contingency 
of her remaining without a natural protector. Now that 
this contigency seemed about to be removed, and the re- 
sponsibility for her care about to be devolved upon a 
loving and devoted husband, he felt at liberty to pro- 
ceed with his long-cherished plan. Its development, he 
thought, would absorb all, or nearly ail, of his estate. To 
be sure, he said, it was hard for a father to contemplate a 
speedy separation from an only daughter. Her place of 
residence as a minister’s wife would be very uncertain, she 
might soon be far away ; but these were dispensations of 
Providence to which, if it would add to his daughter’s 
happiness, he felt called upon to submit.” 

^^How enjoyable that conversation must have been to 
you, chum! Misfortunes do seem to gather, don’t they? 
But do you suppose the old man really meant all that he 
said ?” asked Joe, 

“ Why, I suppose so; he’s a queer, crotchety old fellow, 
anyhow. I suppose he would really like to become the 
founder of an institution of the kind he proposes, call it 
the ‘ Pinch Benevolent Home,’ or something of that sort, 
and so keep his ugly name in the mouths and ears of the 
community after it would otherwise have been forgotten. 
While his vanity is being gratified in this way, I shall 

17 


194 


HIlV, MR. DASIIWELL, 


have the honor of supporting his lovely daughter. Now, 
Joe, I don’t propose to be trapped in that style. Why 
didn’t the old sneak announce his plan earlier. It’s down- 
right deception, and I’ll not submit to it.” 

“ Of course not, Jim,” said his friend, if you can only 
be sure that the old chap is in earnest.” 

‘‘ Oh, I think he is. I had a little talk with Miss Pinch 
afterward; her father had told her the same thing. It 
was really beautiful to see how resigned she was ; she said 
riches would not be missed in hearts where true love 
dwehs ; for her own part she felt indifferent to the matter^ 
as she knew I did also, and a good deal more of that sort* 
Nauseated as I felt, I had to sit and simper and smile at 
such twaddle as that. Now, Joe, you can understand 
what I meant when I told you I was worse than rejected 
by Miss Pinch ; I am engaged to that lady. How decently 
to get out of it is my present perplexity, and I have sent 
for you because I really need your advice and sympathy 
in this season of great affliction and Mr. Dash well rose, 
threw the stump of his cigar out of the window, and com- 
menced pacing the room with his eyes bent on the floor, 
and his hands clasped under his wrapper behind him. 

‘‘Chum,” said Joe, in a sympathetic tone, “you have 
my most heartfelt sympathy. I don’t wonder you feel a 
little blue. I should under similar circumstances; but 
cheer up, you will come out of all your troubles at last. 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 


1C5 


Remember, the darkest hour is just before the morning. 
And now as to advice, I hardly know yet what to give 
you. Await events; don’t be rash in the Pinch matter. 
Be sure the old man is in earnest in what he says about 
the disposal of his property. When you are certain of 
that, you may gradually cut loose from entanglements 
with any other member of the family; but don’t do it 
abruptly. Your health may fail, and make the fulfill- 
ment of your engagement impracticable, or something of 
that sort may occur, you know,” said Joe, with a wink. 
“ Time will work wonders ; but one thing I think I would 
do : I would shake off the dust of my feet against this old 
settlement. I think it is evident that they don’t properly 
appreciate your talents, my boy. They don’t deserve you, 
and when you get away, the little annoyances and vexa- 
tions you have experienced here and the little blunders 
you have made will become small in the distance.” 




CHAPTER XVI. 


|0j unit lim. 

The trials and perplexities which were encompassing 
Mr. Dashwell at Hampton weighed heavily upon the mind 
of his friend, the Rev. Joseph Newman. That individual 
felt that his old chum had been reckless and hasty in his 
movements, and was in need of good advice and counsel 
to assist him in extricating himself from his difficulties. 
Deeply impressed with these thoughts, the Rev. Joe, a few 
days after his last conference wdth his friend, again pre- 
sented himself at the door of Mr. Dash well’s study. 

Mr. Dashwell from within recognized the well-known 
“ rat-tat-tat” of seminary times, and was at the door in an 
instant. 

“Joe, my dear old fellow,” said he, “you are the very 
man I particularly wished to see. You are niy guardian 
angel dropping down upon me with linen duster, satchel 
and cigar, just at the right moment. Sit down and take a 
little lemonade to wash the cinders out of your throat 
and Mr. Dashwell produced a long-necked bottle and a 
couple of wine-glasses. 

“Jim, I really felt so much concern for you that I 
determined to come down once more and see how you are 
( 196 ) 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 197 


getting along. You can’t imagine the anxiety your case 
lias given me,” and Joe began to sip the dark-colored 
lemonade from the wine-glass. “Jim, how many more 
matrimonial engagements since I saw you last ?” 

“ None as yet, chum. I have been trying to undo what 
I have already done in that line, and that has occupied 
my whole attention. I have made rather slow progress in 
getting disentangled. ‘ Facilis descensus Averni,’ you 
know; ‘sed revocare gradum, hie labor est.’ Fve found 
it so.” 

“What’s happened, Jim?” 

“ Well, I’ll tell you, father confessor. Since I saw you 
I’ve found out from the best authority, Domore, you know, 
that my jig is up in the church, and that its best not to 
appear to desire a permanent call, but to slip out of the 
concern and out of the place too as gracefully as possible. 
Old Pinch was not to be bought off from his opposition in 
the session by the prospect of a highly respectable son-in- 
law. In fact, Domore says that he has been even more 
pugnacious than ever during the last week, and that, you 
are aware, has been since he has known of the matrimonial 
honor in store for his only daughter. I learned, too, from 
confidential talks with Maria — that’s the Pinch girl, I use 
the handle now in addressing her — that her father actually 
intended to make her a pauper by giving his estate to a 
benevolent institution, as he had informed me. When I 

17* 


193 


jRBK MR, DASHWELL, 


found that this was really the fact I determined at once to 
break off our engagement, partly as a punishment to old 
Pinch and partly because it might interfere with my get- 
ting a call to some other church/’ 

“ Of course it w^ould, Jim ; but don’t you think you were 
a little hasty in the breaking-off part ? Pinch might come 
around, you know ; time works wonders.” 

Perhaps I was, Joe. There’s just where I needed your 
advice. You may judge for yourself when you hear the 
whole story. But its too late now to shed tears over the 
diffused lacteal fluid. The deed has been done.” 

“ Proceed, Jim.” 

'‘Well, I called on the girl when I felt positive that all 
the evils I have spoken of would assuredly happen, and 
tried to get out of the affair delicately and smoothly, you 
know, putting myself in the light of a benefactor at the 
same time. I told her that our engagement was made 
when the skies were bright and flattering over our heads, 
when our paths seemed likely to be strewn with flowers, 
and a good deal more of that sort, you understand; when 
I had felt sure that my future home would be near her 
own beautiful one in Hampton ; when I had good reason 
to believe that I should be the chosen pastor of the 
church” — 

" That was quite a little whopper, wasn’t it, Jim ?” said 
Joe. 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 199 

— “ But DOW dark clouds were rising over the sky once 
so bright ; thorns were hedging me in on every side ; I was 
compelled to leave the people of my choice to seek a new 
field of labor; it might be far away from her pleasant 
home and surroundings. It pained me to think of sepa- 
rating her from the home and friends she had known and 
loved from her earliest recollection, to ask her to go among 
strangers, to an abode which would be humble in compari- 
son with old Pinch’s house ; those were not the exact 
words, Joe.” 

‘‘ No. You didn’t speak of the damaging effect of the 
benevolent institution upon your prospects, I hope, Jim,” 
said Joe. 

Not much. And I felt that I could not conscientiously 
ask her to make so great a sacrifice for my sake — I could 
not iTe so selfish — and that I therefore felt it my duty, 
painful as it might be to me so to do, to resign all claim 
to her hand, and to leave her untrammeled as before our 
plighted troth.” 

Pretty well done, Jim. I give you credit. How did 
it take?” ^ 

‘‘Not at all, Joe. The girl was up to snuff, I tell you. 
If I had really wished it so I should have been delighted. 
She said that all I had said did not weigh a particle in her 
mind. When she had pledged her hand she had given her 
heart also, and — well, the amount of the whole thing was. 


200 


MR. DASHWELL, 


Joe, that she was willing to go with me to the end of the 
world, and a little beyond, for that matter. It was no use, 
Joe; I couldn’t budge her an inch. She talked of her 
father cutting her off without a penny in just the coolest 
way possible, as if it was of no account to her, and there- 
fore could not possibly be of the slightest consequence to 
myself. I believe the girl was really in love, and of course 
under such circumstances could not be expected to have 
any sense in matters of a financial character. I saw there 
was no prospect of getting around the old man on the 
property question, for she really seemed indifferent on 
the subject. Neither was there any use of asking her to 
back down on the engagement. I had to acknowledge 
myself repulsed on that parallel, and I took my hat and 
came home a broken-hearted man.” 

‘‘ What did you do next, Jim ?” asked his friend. ’ 

Well, then I thought I would try epistolary diplomacy. 
I sat up about the whole night cogitating upon the subject, 
and finally I concluded to settle the matter by a short but 
decisive communication in writing. I concocted the follow- 
ing, and kept a copy to submit to you for approval and 
Mr. Dash well opened a private drawer in his desk and took 
out a sheet of note-paper. See how it sounds, Joe : 

‘‘‘My Dearest Maria: I have been thinking over 
the subject upon which we were conversing last evening, 
and I feel that my duty to you and myself demands that 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 201 

I should again express to you the sentiments that fill my 
heart to overflowing. It does seem to me, dearest, that it 
would be unjust to hold you to the promise you made 
when my future appeared so different from that which 
now lies before me. I find that I cannot make it se^m 
consistent with duty or propriety to request you to leave 
the beautiful home of your childhood and your pleasant 
surroundings in Hampton to enter with me upon trials 
now unknown to you, perhaps in some region remote from 
all that you hold most dear. I fear that you do not 
properly appreciate the gravity of such a step. With 
heart unchanged, with affection unabated, I would there- 
fore again offer to release you, and — pardon me for so doing 
— I would myself ask to be released from the engagement 
upon which we have so prematurely entered. Believe me, 
I shall ever remain your loving, 

‘‘‘James Dashwell.’ 

“ There, Joe, shouldn’t you think that would settle the 
matter ?” 

“ I rather think it may do so. So you’ve sent the 
original document?” 

“Sent it by special messenger early this morning, and 
have had no reply. I drove past Pinch’s this afternoon, 
and Maria was at her seat in the window as usual. I was 
about throwing her a kiss, but strangely enough, just at 
that instant she turned her head away as if she had failed 


202 


MR, DAS II WELL, 


to catch sight of me ; and yet I don’t see how she could 
have escaped observing my turn-out. She always noticed 
it readily enough before. ^ It is now five o’clock, and about 
time for the postman; perhaps I may hear something 
wjien he comes and Mr. Dash well rose, stood before the 
window with his two hands thrust deeply in his panta- 
loon’s pockets, and looked meditatively down the street for 
a few minutes in perfect silence. There comes the old 
fellow now with his letter-bag. Now for a note from 
Maria, Joe;” and he dashed down to the front door to 
meet the postman. He returned to the study with his 
papers in his hand. “ That scented note don’t seem to be 
among these documents, Joe. What can the girl mean ?” 

said Mr. Dash well. 

« 

Perhaps she expects you to call yourself for the an- 
swer. Don’t you think that would be the most natural 
way?” said Joe. 

‘‘Hallo! here’s something. It’s a business envelope with 
‘Pinch & Co’ printed on the outside. I guess Maria’s 
white envelopes have run out,” said Mr. Dashwell, as he 
hastily ripp-^d open the yellow one. “ I declare, its from 
old Pinch himself.” 

He glanced hastily over the large business sheet filled 
with writing in the bold hand of Elder Pinch. Joe 
noticed that liis face flushed as he proceeded, then looked 
grave, and finally turned pale as he approached the end, 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 203 

while he firmly set his lips as if to prevent an exclama- 
tion, until he finished reading and threw the letter on the 
table before him. 

“ What’s out, Jim?” asked his friend. 

‘‘ There’s a stunner from Pinch, Joe. I didn’t think the 
old fellow was capable of such a production. You’re just 
in time to hear it. Wait until I can catch my breath, 
and I will read it to you. Now here goes : 

James Dashwell — Sir: My daughter requests 
me to reply to a note received by her from yourself, asking 
a release from your late engagement. In answer, I have 
to say that you are so released, on her part, I trust, with 
entire willingness ; on my own, I can assure you, with the 
greatest pleasure and satisfaction. Allow me at this time 
to add a few words which I think you should hear. 

“‘Your ministry in this place has, I believe, been of 
some benefit to myself, not so much from your instructions 
in the pulpit as from your example — an example, permit 
me to say, not to be imitated, but carefully avoided. 
Before you came here, I had believed thattsomething more 
than the simple and faithful preaching of pure gospel 
truth might be useful in the pulpit; that certain contri- 
vances which are sometimes called sensational, to catch 
the ear of the indifferent, might have their place as well. 
I have come to the conclusion, from carefully watching 
your course here, that a minister cannot preach the gospel 


REV. MR. DASHWELL, 


204 

in all sincerity, and at the same time indulge in claptrap 
to catch outside crowds. I have become convinced that 
one who attempts both must be insincere and dishonest. 
If we cannot have both, I certainly think we should have 
the simple preaching of the gospel. These remarks may 
explain to you why I cannot vote to give you a permanent 
call, although I was in favor of a temporary one a year 
ago. The reason is, in a few words, that I doubt your 
sincerity, and I have been led by a close observation of 
your course during the year past, to fear that the same 
failing must almost necessarily attach itself to any one 
who could resort to sensational methods of filling up the 
pews. 

‘‘ ‘ Allow me to say that as by your own act you can no 
longer have any claim upon my daughter, you will of 
course see the propriety of discontinuing any further cor- 
respondence with her either personal or written. As she 
is again to become dependent upon me for support in the 
future, it is proper to add that the rather hastily-formed 
plans for the disposal of my property, which I thought 
best to mention to you, have now been finally abandoned. 

“‘Yours, etc., Henry Pinch.’” 

A profound silence for a few minutes followed the read- 
ing of the letter, W’hile the two friends appeared to be 
engaged in earnest thought. Mr. Hashwell was the first 
to speak. 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 205 


“ Joe,” said he, I think this document makes it plain 
that the ‘ benevolent institution’ plan was all a ruse to try 
iny ‘ sincerity,’ as Pinch expresses it. What I would like 
to know now is, whether the girl was a party in the con- 
spiracy. By George ! I almost believe she was, and that 
she really intended to cut me when she turned her head 
away this afternoon as I drove past. I confess I rather 
like her spunk though if she did. I suppose, however, I 
shall never find out for certain, for the old man don’t 
seem to approve of any further correspondence with his 
daughter. I think, chum, I had better pack up to-night 
and take the early train for the city to-morrow morning;” 
and Mr. Dashwell rested his head on both hands, with his 
elbows on the table before him. 

‘‘ Come, now, cheer up, Jim,” said his friend, rising and 
patting him on the shoulder. “ Things do go a little 
roughly with you just at present; but don’t get down- 
hearted about it. But one thing I would do if I were in 
your place. I would quit this old rookery at once. That 
letter of Pinch shcows that they can never understand you 
here. The fact is the people have been crammed so full 
of what Pinch would call gospel truth and orthodoxy, that 
they never will appreciate your style. They must have 
preaching of the broad-brim order; they don’t believe in a 
church with modem improvements, and so they will con- 
tinue to burn tallow candles, go to bed at sundown, and 

i8 


206 


AEV. MR. DASinVELL, 


get up at cock-crowing to the end of the chapter. So far 
as the girls are concerned, chum, I think the fault is your 
own ; I must say so for your own good. You’ve let the 
minister’s daughter pull the wool over your eyes badly; 
but it will do you good, old boy, it will make you sharper 
next time. Let me give you a word of advice : never be 
the first to fall in love ; be sure you have your fish fairly 
hooked before you begin to haul in. I think you must 
blame yourself in the Pinch girl affair also ; I think every- 
thing would have been lovely, the property, girl, and all, 
if you had been a little more patient. But let it all go; 
’twon’t hurt you. I’ll try and keep a more careful eye 
upon you in the future.” 

The next day the two friends were seen driving through 
the streets of Hampton with Mr. Dashwell’s stylish turn- 
out for the last time. They turned their horse’s head 
toward the race-course. There, as in times past, were 
many of the sporting fraternity ready for a grasp of the 
hand with the fast young parson, who had not visited the 
course since his accident. Mr. Dashwell inquired for Sam 
McBride, and soon found that individual. 

‘‘ Sam,” said he, “ give us your hand ; this is the last 
time you’ll see me here. Good*by !” 

“ Ho, parson, now you don’t mean that ! Don’t feel so ! 
I didn’t intend it. That legbreaking affair was all an 
accident,” said Sam, extending his hand. 


THE AEIV MINISTER AT //AMR TON. 207 

‘‘ That’s all right, Sara ; I wasn’t thinking of that affair 
at all just now. But I’ra going, going to quit the church, 
and leave town to-day.” 

“ No ; you don’t tell me. That’s too bad ! If you do I 
will just speak the truth this time when I say the church 
will lose the best parson they ever had. Don’t go, minis- 
ter, anyhow. Give up preaching if you like, but stay in 
town, and come out here every day through the season. 
We’ll treat you well, and I’ll warrant you won’t be dis- 
abled again.” 

^‘No; Sam, I’m off; I only came down now to bid you 
all good-by. Adieu !” and Mr. Dashwell gave a farewell 
flourish of the hand as he turned his horse on the track. 
‘‘ Say ‘ Good-by’ to all the boys for me, Sam.” Mr. Dash- 
well and Joe made a final circuit of the course with their 
horse at his full speed, and disappeared at the exit. Sam 
spread the news, and many were the expressions of regret 
at the departure of the gay young minister. It was gen- 
erally conceded that the church and the race-course would 
not soon see his like again. The couple drove once more 
• through the streets, past every well-known resort for a 
parting glance, past the old church for a last look, past 
the Pinch mansion, where it happened that Miss Pinch 
was not at the moment visible, past the parsonage, where 
Mr. Dashwell had already given orders that his trunks 
should be delivered to the expressman, and had taken a 


208 


JREV, MR, DASHWELL, 


suaden and unexpected farewell of the old doctor and 
Mabel. That young lady chanced to be in the window- 
seat as the two young divines drove along. Joe made 
a low bow, and Mr. Dashwell lifted his hat to her for 
the last time wdth even more than the old-time flonrish 
and gallantry. The handsome horse bore them quickly 
by at a I’apid trot, their clerical forms faded away in the 
distance down the road leading to the great city, and 
Mabel saw them no more. 


CHAPTEE XVII. 


D:al)£l aiijj f;«m. 

The college year was over. Tom Wentworth, had 
graduated, and was once more spending a few weeks in 
Hampton before entering upon his studies at the theo- 
logical seminary. Nearly a 3^ear had passed since his 
conversation with Mabel on Cemetery Hill. Though he 
had met her frequently since, he had never again alluded 
to the subject which occupied their attention at that 
interview. It was only a few days before he was to leave 
his home to enter upon his theological studies that, on a 
pleasant afternoon in September, he called upon Mabel at 
the parsonage. 

Mabel, said he, ‘‘ you may recollect that last summer 
we took a walk to the cemetery to examine the handsome 
monument erected in memory of old Mr. King. Perhaps 
3^ou may remember that we came away without visiting it. 
I have quite a curiosity to see it. Will you not this after- 
noon again make an attempt with me to find it?’’ 

‘‘ If you think we will not forget all about it when we 
arrive there, Tom, I will.” 

Again, as a year before, w^hich seemed to them but 
yesterday, they strolled through the paths which led them 
by many curves and windings at last to the summit. Tom 
. ( 209 ) 


210 


A^JZV. AIR. DASH WELL, 


* sought and found the rustic seat where he then sat with 
Mabel, and enjoyed the view of Long Island Sound and 
the distant hills of Connecticut beyond. 

“ Here it is, Mabel,” said he, as he discovered the seat, a 
little more moss-covered than when they last saw it.” 

“What?” said Mabel. “Old Mr. King’s monument?” 

“ Kot exactly ; but the place where we forgot all about 
the monument. Let us sit down here again and rest.” 

“ Mabel,” said Tom, when they had seated themselves, 
and he had commenced grave-digging with the point of 
his cane, as in months aforetime, “ do you remember when 
we were here a year ago how jealous I was of that young 
Dash well?” 

“ I remember, Tom, that you did not then seem to 
approve of his peculiar style of preaching. I think you 
criticised his conduct out of the pulpit also as being some- 
what frivolous for a minister. I don’t recollect that you 
said you were jealous of him.” 

“Well, I think I was jealous a little, just a little, you 
know, Mabel. I may as well acknowledge it now that he 
has gone, poor fellow ! Did the thought ever occur to you 
why I felt so ?” 

“ Was it because you feared you could never rival his 
popular style in the pulpit?” asked Mabel. 

“Kot exactly. I think I shall never attempt that.” 
Tom was silent for a few moments as he industriously 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 211 

worked at the mausoleum. Somewhat abruptly he ceased, 
and turning to his companion said, with flushed cheeks: 
‘‘Mabel, do you remember a promise you made a year ago 
while sitting here, with reference to Mr. Dash well 

“ I remember it perfectly, Tom, and I have kept it,’’ she 
answered. 

“ I have invited you to walk out here this afternoon to 
ask you another question in connection with the promise 
you then made. Have you ever thought why I then asked 
you not to allow Mr. Dash well to And a place in your 
heart ?” 

“ Perhaps I have, Tom ; but is that the question you 
really intended to ask, and if so, do you think it exactly a 
fair one?” said Mabel. 

“ If it is not, I will ask another. "Will you allow me to 
tell you the reason for the request I then made ?” 

“ I shall be happy to hear it,” said Mabel. 

“ The reason is,” — and Tom looked not at Mabel, buf at 
the little grave he was constructing, — “ the reason was 
that I hoped— that wdiich I did not then dare to ask for — 
that I myself might at some time occupy the place which 
I was so fearful might be taken by Mr. Dash^vell.” 

“ So I supposed at the time, Tom.” 

“And now I will ask you,” said Tom, as he ceased his 
work, and with a pale face looked inquiringly in Mabel’s, 
“ if I may not obtain the place which I then had not the 
courage to ask for ?’^ 


212 REV. MR. DASIIWELL, 

Mabel’s face changed from red to white as she listened, 
and answered : 

“You may, Tom. You have that place, and have held 
it since I understood your meaning a year ago. If you 
had claimed it then the answer w^ould have been the same 
that I give you now.” 

“Why did I not understand this during the long months 
that have passed since our talk in this place ?” said Tom, 
taking Mabel’s hand in his own. 

“ Why did you never ask to know ?” answered Mabel. 

“ Because I thought I should be able to discover it in 
some way without asking if it were so,” said Tom. 

“ Oh, Tom ! Tom ! how blind you have been !” said 
Mabel. 

“ But I really feared, notwithstanding your promise, 
that Mr. Dash well might yet carry the day.” 

“Tom, really you speak as if you supposed that Mr. 
Dash well felt -anxious to carry it. Now I think that I 
recollect that a year ago in this place you insinuated that 
Miss Pinch and Mr. Dashwell might have mutual aspira- 
tions.” 

“ I never really thought Miss Pinch could find a place 
in his affections, supposing, of course, that he has such a 
quality in his composition, so long as he was in the society 
of Mabel Woodbridge; and I truly believe that if he did 
not seek to obtain a place in that young lady’s heart it 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON. 213 

was only because he felt that he could not succeed in so 
doing.’’ 

‘‘ Thank you, Tom ; but do you not think you are a 
little enthusiastic? Suppose we now go and visit the King 
monument,” said Mabel, rising. 

“ I believe I did hear something of such a monument 
when I proposed visiting it a year ago, but I never have 
seen it, and know nothing of its location ; in fact it may 
not be in existence at the present day. A year’s time will 
work changes, even in a cemetery,” said Tom, rising and 
walking by Mabel’s side down the winding path which 
they had lately ascended. 


Three years glided swiftly away in Hampton, as else- 
where. The Rev. Thomas Wentworth and his wife, Mabel 
Wentworth, are sitting side by side at the parsonage in the 
moonlight of a pleasant October evening. The two have 
been married for a month, and on this day Tom has been 
installed associate pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, 
a colleague, of his father-in-law. Dr. Woodbridgej who has 
been compelled by advancing years himself to ask for such 
assistance. The thoughts of the couple naturally turn to 
the former .temporary colleague of the old pastor. 

“ Mabel, I once feared that the relations I now hold 
both to this church and to yourself might be held by that 
young Dashwell who preached here three years ago,” said 
Tom. 


214 


J^£V. MR, DASIIWELL, 


“ Poor fellow said Mabel, stroking his cheek. Poor 
ignorant boy ! how little did you understand me. As to 
Mr. Dashwelks future relations with the church, of course 
I could know no more than you did ; but as to his rela- 
tions to myself, you never made a greater mistake than 
when you imagined I was likely to become a Mrs. Dash- 
well. Where is the gentleman now, Tom ?’^ 

‘‘ He married a lady of Chicago, the only daughter of a 
wealthy liquor dealer, and he is now the pastor of a 
prominent Universalist church at the West. I always 
rather liked that Mr. Dashwell, notwithstanding I never 
could help thinking that he cared more for that blooded 
horse of his than he did for the church. I think he has 
found his proper place in a denomination with more liberal 
views than ours, for he is so happy and good-natured 
himself that he must believe that the whole world will 
come out all right at last, his horse not excepted. The 
great trouble here seems to have been that the church was 
rather too orthodox for his habits of thought.’’ 

“Do you know what ever became of that friend he 
called Joe, a minister, too, I believe?” asked Mabel. 

“ I understood that he never found a church satisfactory 
to himself which was also satisfied with him. I have been 
told that he finally took up the practice of medicine as an 
amateur, and that now he is a thriving homeopathic prac- 
titioner, and a member of his friend Dashwell’s church.” 


THE NEW MINISTER AT HAMPTON 


215 


The months are passing by at Hampton. The church, 
under the pastoral care of the Rev. Thomas Wentworth, is 
steadily increasing in numbers and influence, though no 
especial effort is put forth to attract a crowd. Elder 
Domore, however, has left, and connected himself with 
the Second Presbyterian. Elder Pinch says that a year’s 
experience of the sensational style in the pulpit and out of 
it has been of great use to him. It is supposed that the 
compliment is intended to have reference to the late ser- 
vice of the Rev. Mr. Dash well at Hampton. Maria Pinch 
is married to a junior partner in the firm of Pinch & Co. 
It is believed that the gentleman never has heard anything 
of the ‘‘Pinch Endowment Fund.” Old Dr. Woodbridge, 
though nominally the senior pastor of the church, is seldom 
seen in the pulpit. Much of his time seems to be occupied 
in following, a willing captive, the four-wheeled chariot of 
an imperious little tyrant clothed in w^hite lace and fine 
linen, Thomas Wentworth, Jr., as it trundles along the 
sidewalk or across the street to the mansion of the judge. 

'■C 


THE END. 












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S 

MAliY ELLIS ; or, The Eunaivay JMatcli, and ) 

other Tales, Attractive experiences that will readilj commend them- 
selves to the real life of many who have sought for hut never found their 
ideal. By T. S. Arthur. Cloth. $1 50. 

THE YOUNG LADY AT HOME. Home stories 

most happi’ly drawn by the author, involving the troubles, errors, and per- 
plexities incident to domestic life, and showing woman’s real mission. By 
T. S. Arthur. Cloth. $1 50. 

STEFS TOWARDS HEAVEN; or, Religion in 

Common Life, A volume, free from sectarian or denominational influ- 
ences, which cannot but deeply impress the mind, and awaken in every one 
the highest type of human happiness. By T. S. Arthur. Cloth. $1 50. 

LIGHTS AND SHADOWS OF REAL LIFE. 

Containing a series of captivating and intensely interesting Temperance 
stories, which, perhaps, no other author can furnish with equal acceptance, 
and containing a moral suasion which cannot but affect for good all who 
read. By T. S. Arthur. With Illustrations. Cloth. $1 75. 

SKETCHES OF LIFE AND CHARACTER. 

Pleasantly written stories, drawn from everyday life, and free from all 
exaggerations, which invariably leave a powerful impression upon the 
mind of the reader. By T. S, Arthur. With Illustrations. Cloth. $1 75. 

LEAVES FBOM THE BOOK OF HLAIA^ 

Life, A choice selection of stories, intended to leave the mind active with 
good purposes and kindly sympathies— the value of each one of which is 
clearly evident. By T. S. Arthur. Numerous Illustrations. Cloth. $1 75. 

SWEET H03IE; or, Friendship’s Golden Altar. 

A companion for the evening hour ; pure in morals, elevating in tone, cheer- 
ful, hopeful, and reverent in all its views of God, and a transcript of “Home, 
Sweet Home.” By Frances E. Percival. With Mezzotint Frontispiece, 
aoth. $125. 


NEW AND LATE BOOKS. 


T 


THE . ANGEL VISITOH ; or, Voices of the 

Heart, Intended to bring light and joy to those who are heavy in heart, 
as well as to echo the gentle teachings of Jesus, and to comfort the sick and 
afflicted everywhere. By Frances E. Percival. With Mezzotint Frontis' 
piece. Cloth. $1 25. | 

THE MOENING STAB; or. Symbols of Christ: 

An excellent volume, designed to magnify the beauty and wisdom of the 
Word of God, and to cause the believer and unbeliever to think more of the 
Saviour. By William M. Thayer, author of “Hints for the Household,” 
“Paster’s Wedding Gift,” etc. etc. Cloth. $125. 

THE SEIEIT LANJD, An instructive and very desirable 
work, which is submitted to the public with the counsel that we cling to 
the Word of God as the only infallible guide of faith and practice amid the 
fanaticisms of the day. By S. B. Emmons. With Mezzotint Frontispiece. 
Cloth. $1 25. 

THE nESEBTEH FAMILY; or, The Wander- 
ings of an Outcast, A forcibly and prettily written story, designed to 
soften the heart to just influences, to warm the affections to proper emotions, 
and to elevate and fructify the soul. By Paul Cretton. With Illustrations. 
Cloth. $1 25. 

FASHIONABLE HISSiPATION. A stylish and 

brilliant narrative, which, together with A.dela Lincoln: -4. Tale oj 
the Wine included in the book, is high-toned and worthy popular 

favor. The former by Metta Victoria Fuller, the latter by M. F. Carby. 
With Frontispiece. Cloth. $1 25. 

LIVING AND LOVING. A collection of beautiful 

sketches which evince all the vigor, freshness, and attractiveness so peculiar 
to the authoress, and which are highly instructive. By Virginia F. Town- 
send. With fine Steel Portrait. Cloth. $1 25. 


8 


NEW AND LATE BOOKS. 


WHILE IT WAS MOENING. One of the authoress^* 

sweetest stories, in which we are taught that sorrow, pain, and disappoint- 
ment must come to all in the world; yet the grand truth stands <mt in 
glorious significance — “The righteous shall not lose their reward.” By 
VinaiNiA I*. Townsend. Cloth. $1 25. 

ANKA. CLAYTON ; or. The Mother^ s Trial* A 

tale of real life, written with heauty and force ; and in its plot and execution 
of the very highest moral excellence and useful tendency. By Mrs. H. J. 
Moore. Cloth. $1 25, 

THE CHRISTIAN’S GIFT. Embodying some of the 

most select religious articles from the finest minds, among which are “The 
Refuge from the Storm,” “The Sabbath and Heaven,” “ Heaven Conceivable 
to the Christian,” etc. etc. By Rev. Rufus W. Clark, author of “ Heaven 
and its Emblems,” etc. etc. Cloth. $1 25. 

W03IAN’S 3IISSION AND WOMAN’S IN^ 

fluence, A wonderful work, of which Bishop Doane has said, “It is the 
very book which, if I had a thousand daughters, I would put into their 
hands, with the Bible and Book of Common Prayer, as their best companion, 
Ac.” Tenth American, from the Seventeenth London Edition. Cloth. $1 25. 

THE ENCHANTED BE A JJTY^ and Other Tales , 

Essays, and Sketches. Embracing many of the finest, most elaborate, 
and finished articles of the well-known author. By Dr. William Eldbr, 
author of “The Life of Dr. Kane,” etc. etc. Cloth. $1 25. 

THE EAINBOW ABOUND THE TOMB; or, 

Mays of Mope for those who Mourn, A carefully arranged and attrac- 
tive book of selections, both of prose and poetry, containing much of wisdom 
in several departments, and forming a valuable and desirable gift for the 
Christian parent, child, or friend. By Emily Thornwell, author of “The 
Ladies’ Guide to Perfect Gentility,” “Young Ladies’ Own Book,” etc. eta. 
Cloth. $150. 



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